india

Updated: Sep 11, 2019 11:05 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura on Wednesday to inaugurate several programmes and lay the foundation stone for schemes worth more than Rs 13000 crore in a key initiative aimed at doubling farmers income.

The Prime Minister is expected to reach Mathura at about 11am and would inaugurate the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) for eradicating the foot and mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis in cattle.

“With 100 per cent funding from the Central Government, of Rs 12,652 crore for a period of five years till 2024, the programme aims at vaccinating over 500 million livestock including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs against the FMD,” a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The Prime Minister will take part in the Swachhta Hi Seva (Cleanliness is Service) programme and declare a two-day ‘Pashu Arogya Mela’.

The two-day fair organised for the promotion of animal health would see various steps for enhancing income for farmers and an exhibition of high breed cattle.

Modi will also inaugurate a vaccination programme for cattle at the national level.

Modi is expected to stay in the holy town for about 90 minutes on Wednesday and would address the audience at the specially prepared ground at the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University and Cattle Research Institute. Officials have said the venue will be plastic-free and tea would be served in ‘kulhad’ or earthen cups.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister for animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries Giriraj Singh will accompany the Prime Minister. The state’s minister for dairy development, animal husbandry and fisheries Laxmi Narain Chaudhary, minister for energy Srikant Sharma, ministers of dairy and fisheries Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan and Jai Prakash Nishad will also be present at the event.

Member of Parliament from Mathura Hema Malini, MLA Karinda Singh and MLA Pooran Prakash will welcome the guests.

Security has been tightened and hundreds of personnel of the paramilitary forces and Rapid Action Force have been deployed.