PANAJI
The census that is conducted once every five years will involve enumerators visiting every village and taking stock of all livestock in a household. Livestock will include cattle, buffalo, goats, pigs, horses, dogs, rabbits, elephants, poultry, birds as well as stray cattle and dogs. For the first time this year, the department will also be taking stock of fishermen involved in fishing.
The 20th livestock census is expected to begin on July 15 and will last till October 16. The department will depute 84 enumerators who will be working under 20 supervisors for the process.
“We will be working in association with the local mamlatadar who will have details of households in each village. An ID number will be allotted to each village and the field officers and enumerators will go from door to door to collect the data,” said an official of the department.
Under the guidance of the department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries, ministry of India, enumerators will record information on an e-tablet. In the past, the department had used paper.
But with less than a month before the process begins, the department is yet to receive the funds to run the entire exercise. Under ministry rules, the funds are directed to State Livestock Development Boards. But since Goa doesn’t have a livestock development board, a proposal has been sent to transfer the funds to a permanent account.
During the census conducted in 2012, the state had a cattle population of 57,480, buffaloes at 31,798. The goat population in the state was said to be 12,958.
