2 days ago
Centre, state sign MoU to boost animal disease laboratory in Pune
In a major step towards strengthening animal disease control infrastructure in western India, the central and state governments on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide financial support to the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee state-level Animal Disease Investigation Laboratory in Pune, said officials on Friday.
The agreement was signed between the department of animal husbandry and dairying, Government of India, and the department of animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries, Government of Maharashtra in Delhi. It aims to enhance the laboratory's capabilities in disease diagnosis and surveillance across several states and union territories, said officials.
The Pune-based laboratory has been serving as the regional disease diagnostic laboratory (RDDL) for the western zone since 2000 covering five states—Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa—and two union territories—Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Diu-Daman.
Dr Ramaswami N, secretary, animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries (AHDDF) said steps are being taken to get National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation for the laboratory and the state's veterinary biological production unit has received GMP (good manufacturing practices) certification.
The MoU is subject to review and renewal every five years.
