To review the achievements, plans and winter preparedness of the Sheep Husbandry Department Leh, a meeting was convened by Konchok Stanzin, EC, Sheep Husbandry on January 20 at Council Secretariat. 

The meeting was attended by doctors, Block Veterinary Officers of different zones headed by Dr. Tundup Namgial DSHO, Leh. Gyurmet Dorjey, Councillor Korzok; Thupstan Wangchuk, Councillor Nyoma and Tsering Angchok, Councillor Diskit attended the meeting.
 
EC Konchok said that sheep husbandry sector is one of the key sectors in providing livelihood and prospect to uplift the economy of Ladakh and directed doctors of Sheep Husbandry Department, Leh to come up with a comprehensive project of sheep sector saying that GoI is very positive to revive and support this sector in UT Ladakh.
 
"Around 2,200 families mainly in Changthang are directly depended on sheep and animal husbandry sector for their livelihood," added Konchok. 

He urged doctors to study the prospects in increasing livestock, fodder banks, fodder development including cultivation of Alfa –Alfa and local grass Yugpo in Changthang area. He asked them to come up with an inclusive plan in mitigating issues like improvement in lifestyle of nomads, shortage of manpower, migration, tourism, value addition and dog population which are the key reason in declining of livestock in areas like Changthang. 
 
He also directed Sheep department to publish an annual book of the department highlighting achievements, challenges, laboratory data and other important data zone wise which will help a lot in devising the plans of the department in future. 
 
Konchok directed Dr. Tundup Namgial to prepare a plan for the development of reserve pasture land development at Panchayat levels in livestock areas so that weak, pregnant sheep and goats could be shifted in such reserved pasture land in difficult times.
 
DSHO, Leh informed that Sheep Husbandry is fully ready with required feed and fodders in times of heavy snowfall and emergency to control mortality of livestock.
 
Dr. Tundup Namgial said that at present Leh has about ₹ 3.50 lakh Sheep/Goat population with about 49 to 50 tons of pashmina production annually. Regarding the procurement of dehairing plant for Leh, DSHO, Leh informed that the machine is under trial at Delhi and expected to be set up at Leh in April 2020. He said that the proposed budget of Sheep Husbandry (2020-21) is increased by 700% as it was ₹ 80 lacs in the previous Capex budget. 
 
He also informed that there is an increase in the monthly salary of Shepherd from ₹ 600 per month to ₹ 20,000 per month and also deployment of fully equipped ambulance zone wise are proposed in the 20-21 budget. 
 
EC also reviewed the status of achievements and progress of different schemes of department including Ministry of Textile schemes being implemented in Leh, current livestock population, increase/decrease in livestock population, reasons and solutions and availability of medicines at sheep centers from concerned doctors and BVOs zone wise including Nyoma, Durbuk, Nubra, Khaltsi, Kharu and Chushot. 
 
Councillors Korzok, Nyoma and Diskit also highlighted the demands and issues related to the sheep sector in their respective constituencies and put forth their constructive and valuable suggestions for further improvement in the sheep sector.