Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs)

1. Objective

In order to enhance the accessibility of veterinary services and ensure timely treatment for livestock, the Government of India has introduced a scheme to provide financial assistance to the States and Union Territories for establishing Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) at the norm of one MVU per approximately one lakh livestock population.

The units shall operate through a call-centre-based service model, responding to requests received on the toll-free number 1962, thereby ensuring prompt and efficient veterinary service delivery within a targeted response time.

2. Evolution and Expansion of the Scheme

The Department of Animal Husbandry initiated Mobile Veterinary Services in the year 2015, starting with a Mobile Tele-Veterinary Unit at Kollam under the State Plan.

Subsequently, the scheme was expanded leveraging financial support from the following programmes:

  • Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

  • Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH&DC) Scheme, Government of India

  • Rebuild Kerala Initiative (RKI)

As per GO (Rt) No. 333/2023/AHD dated 10.07.2023, sanction was accorded to:

  • Integrate the Emergency Veterinary Care Services with Mobile Veterinary Services under the State Plan.

  • Revise the honorarium rates of contract staff as per the latest orders of the Finance Department (GO (P) No. 54/2025/Fin dated 19.04.2025).

3. Phased Implementation

  • Phase I: 29 MVUs are operational across 29 high-yielding dairy blocks (two in each district and three in Idukki).

  • Phase II: 47 additional MVUs will be deployed to cover the remaining blocks, with allocation based on cattle population, livestock density, and local demand.

4. Operational Guidelines

  • Access to Services:
    Veterinary services will be available to farmers through the     toll-free number 1962. Calls received at the call centre will be promptly attended to, and the nearest available MVU will be assigned without delay.

  • Service Charges:
    As per existing Government Orders, farmers shall pay a     nominal service charge covering the cost of transportation, medicines, and treatment.

    • Basic life-saving drugs are included under this charge.

    • Special medicines and vaccines shall be charged separately as per actual requirement.

1962 (24*7 Toll free Call Centre)

  • The Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Kerala, has established a centralised Call Centre with the toll-free number 1962 to coordinate the operations of Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) across the State.

  • The Call Centre, located at Thiruvananthapuram, functions as the single point of contact for farmers seeking veterinary services. Upon receiving a call, trained operators record details of the case, provide preliminary advice, and immediately assign the nearest available MVU to attend the livestock at the farmer’s doorstep.

  • This facility ensures 24×7 access to emergency veterinary services, particularly benefiting farmers in remote and hilly regions. The integration of the 1962 Call Centre with the MVU network enables real-time monitoring, improved response time, and efficient coordination between district-level institutions and field units.

  • Farmers are charged a nominal fee as per existing Government Orders, covering essential costs such as transportation, medicines, and treatment.

  • The introduction of the 1962 Call Centre has significantly enhanced accessibility, responsiveness, and transparency in the delivery of veterinary healthcare services in Kerala.