ANSWER: Arugul, Odisha
Explanation:
Union minister for agriculture and farmers’ welfare Radha Mohan Singh on April 1, 2017 inaugurated International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease (ICFMD).
It is built at a cost of INR 200 crore at Arugul on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
The one-of-its-kind research centre in South Asia, will help analyse exotic virus strains in order to develop diagnostics and vaccines to prevent their incursion.
Development and upliftment of farmers, who are backbone of the country, is the first priority of the government and the aim is to double the income of farmers by 2022.
As foot and mouth diseases an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids, such a research centre will be beneficial to find out the remedies for the disease.
This is 10th in the world and it is dedicated to the nation on the occasion of Utkal Divas, the formation day of Odisha.
Established by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the state-of-the-art research centre with high containment laboratory facility will cater to the need of researchers and scientists for safe handling of FMD virus as per international norms.
Though 70 countries have eradicated the disease successfully, it is still endemic in India and has a direct bearing on the rural economy and farmers who depend on the cattle for eke out their living.
Stating that India is number one in milk production in the world, production will increase further and the loss of nearly INR 23,000 crore per annum will be prevented if the disease is controlled and eliminated.
The government will provide Rs 600 crore more to the centre for equipment and research.
The economic losses caused by the disease are mainly due to the loss in milk production and reduction in the working ability of the animals.
Export is hampered because countries free from the disease refuse to accept milk and its products, meat and hide from the country.
