India has a huge livestock population. Cattle, buffaloes, and other animals play a big role in the country’s rural economy. However, diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease, Brucellosis, and Lumpy Skin Disease cause big losses to farmers. High costs for veterinary medicines make it even harder for farmers to care for their animals. To help farmers, the government is launching the Pashu Aushadhi initiative. This program will offer affordable and high-quality medicines for animals. It is similar to the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK), which provide affordable medicines for humans. 

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About the Pashu Aushadhi Initiative

The Pashu Aushadhi Kendras are part of a government plan to provide affordable veterinary medicines to farmers. These stores will sell generic medicines for treating common animal diseases. Generic medicines are cheaper than branded medicines but still work well. The Pashu Aushadhi Kendras will help farmers save money on veterinary care for their animals.

The initiative is part of a larger program called the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP). The government approved this program with a budget of Rs 3,880 crore for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26. Rs 75 crore of this budget will be used for the Pashu Aushadhi initiative.

Need for Pashu Aushadhi Kendras

India has a large number of livestock, which are important for milk, meat, and other products. However, diseases like FMD, Brucellosis, and Lumpy Skin Disease hurt the productivity of these animals. The cost of treating sick animals is also high. Farmers often spend a lot of money on veterinary medicines. This is a burden for many, especially small farmers.

The Pashu Aushadhi initiative aims to solve this problem. It will provide affordable generic medicines that can treat many common diseases in animals. This will reduce the cost of veterinary care and make it easier for farmers to keep their animals healthy.

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Some of the key characteristics of the Pashu Aushadhi initiative include the following:

• Affordable Medicines: The main goal of Pashu Aushadhi Kendras is to make medicines for animals cheaper. These generic medicines will cost much less than branded medicines. This will help farmers save money while taking care of their animals.
• Ethnoveterinary Medicines: Along with modern medicines, Pashu Aushadhi Kendras will also sell ethnoveterinary medicines. These are medicines made from local plants and herbs. They have been used in India for generations to treat animals. Examples include neem, turmeric, garlic, and coriander. These medicines will be available for treating common animal diseases.
• Cooperative and PMKSK Model: The Pashu Aushadhi Kendras will be run by cooperative societies and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSK). This system will ensure that these stores reach farmers in even the most remote areas. The government will provide guidelines for the smooth operation of these stores.
• Disease Prevention: The initiative is part of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP). This program focuses on controlling animal diseases through vaccination and prevention. The affordable medicines at the Pashu Aushadhi Kendras will support these efforts by helping farmers treat animals before diseases spread.

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The Pashu Aushadhi Kendras hold the following importance:

• The most important benefit of the Pashu Aushadhi initiative is that it will help farmers save money. Veterinary medicines are expensive, and many farmers cannot afford them. By providing affordable medicines, the initiative will reduce the cost of animal care.
• Healthy animals are more productive. This means better milk, meat, and other products. By making medicines affordable, the Pashu Aushadhi initiative will help improve the health of animals, leading to higher productivity.
• Ethnoveterinary medicines in this initiative will also safeguard traditional Indian knowledge. These medicines have been used for years by the farmer community to treat some common diseases. By including them in the program, the government ensures the passing on of this valuable knowledge.
• Livestock farming is one of the mainstays of the Indian rural economy. By enhancing the health of animals and increasing the productivity of these creatures, the Pashu Aushadhi program would contribute significantly to increased farm incomes- a boon for the whole rural economy.

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Major Challenges in Ensuring Affordable Veterinary Healthcare

Ensuring an affordable veterinary healthcare poses the following challenges:

• One of the biggest challenges for the Pashu Aushadhi initiative is ensuring that the medicines are of good quality. While the goal is to make medicines affordable, they must also be safe and effective. The government must set up strict quality control systems to make sure the medicines sold at the stores are of high quality.
• Many farmers may not know about the Pashu Aushadhi Kendras or how to use these affordable medicines. The government will need to run awareness programs to educate farmers about the initiative and its benefits.
• The success of the Pashu Aushadhi initiative depends on having a steady supply of medicines. Ensuring that Pashu Aushadhi Kendras are well-stocked with essential medicines in every region of India will require careful planning and management.
• Some farmers may not be familiar with ethnoveterinary medicines or may doubt their effectiveness. The government will need to educate farmers on the benefits of these traditional remedies and encourage them to use them alongside modern treatments.

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Other Government Initiatives Aimed at Improving Livestock Productivity

The government is implementing other programs to help improve livestock health and productivity. These include:

• National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP): The primary idea of this program is to control diseases like FMD and brucellosis in livestock through vaccination of animals, thereby lessening the incidence of the mentioned diseases or the spread of these diseases.
• National Livestock Mission (NLM): The NLM promotes the development of the livestock sector by improving breeding, health services, and animal feed availability.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): This scheme focuses on improving the fisheries sector, which is also linked to livestock farming, especially in coastal regions.

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UPSC Practice Questions

• How do the Pashu Aushadhi Kendras aim to make veterinary medicines more affordable for farmers? What challenges could arise in their implementation?
• The expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to include veterinary medicines is a step towards holistic rural healthcare—how this initiative aligns with India’s broader rural development goals.