Data report · Updated October 2026
1962 Animal Helpline and Mobile Veterinary Units: How Many Run in Each State, and What They Mean for Dog Owners
India's 1962 helpline dispatches 4,019 mobile veterinary units (MVUs) across 29 states and UTs, per a Lok Sabha answer of 3 February 2026. Since 2021-22 they had treated 2.55 crore animals for 1.25 crore farmers. The scheme is built for livestock: Delhi has 3 units that had treated 264 animals, so city dog owners should not count on 1962 as a dog ambulance.
Key findings
- India had 4,019 mobile veterinary units in 29 states and UTs on 3 February 2026, and the ministry said it had no proposal to add more.
- The units had treated 2,54,93,587 animals and served 1,24,89,094 farmers since 2021-22, per a Lok Sabha answer of 3 February 2026.
- Uttar Pradesh's 520 units treated 67.5 lakh animals, 26.5% of the national total, the most of any state.
- Of 4,340 units sanctioned, 4,016 ran on 31 January 2025; Odisha (181), Telangana (100) and Punjab (70) returned their funds.
- Delhi's 3 units had treated 264 animals and Goa's 2 units 1,473, so 1962 is a livestock service in most cities.
- Chhattisgarh's units averaged 22,941 animals each, against a national average of 6,343 per unit.
- Maharashtra has 80 central units for 330.8 lakh livestock (2019 census), 0.24 per lakh against the scheme's norm of 1 per lakh.
- In Karnataka, 4,000 of about 5 lakh animals treated through 1962 in 19 months were outside the main livestock species, Deccan Herald reported in March 2025.
- Funding for the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme rose from Rs 801 crore actual spend in 2022-23 to a Rs 2,010 crore budget for 2026-27.
- States reported 10,474 of 40,603 sanctioned government vet posts vacant in December 2025, or 25.8%, and each unit needs one vet.
What is the 1962 animal helpline, and is it a dog ambulance?
1962 is the national toll-free number for the central government's mobile veterinary units. A farmer calls a state call centre, a vet on duty assesses the case, and the nearest unit drives out. Each unit is a fitted vehicle with one vet, a para-vet and a driver-cum-attendant.
It is built for livestock farmers, not pet owners. In August 2025 the ministry told the Lok Sabha that the service 'is availed by needy livestock farmers through a Toll-free call number 1962'. The scheme counts farmers and animals; it does not report dogs separately.
So the short answer for a city dog owner is no. India has no national dog ambulance number. In an emergency, call your own vet or the nearest 24-hour clinic first, and use 1962 only if your state's call centre says it attends pets.
| Item | Detail | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2021-22, under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme | Lok Sabha answer, 11 February 2025 |
| Norm | 1 unit per 1 lakh livestock | PIB, 8 May 2022; Lok Sabha, 1 August 2023 |
| Units running | 4,019 in 29 states and UTs | Lok Sabha answers, 3 February and 21 July 2026 |
| Vehicle cost (centre pays 100%) | Rs 16 lakh per vehicle in Karnataka's 2022 sanction | PIB, 8 May 2022 |
| Running cost share, centre to state | 60:40 for most states, 90:10 for NE and Himalayan states, 100:0 for UTs | Lok Sabha answer, 11 February 2025 |
| Staff per unit | One veterinary doctor, plus para-vet and driver-cum-attendant | Lok Sabha answers, 12 August 2025 and 28 July 2026 |
| Services | Diagnosis, treatment, vaccination, minor surgery, extension | Lok Sabha answer, 1 August 2023 |
| Plans to add units | None at present | Lok Sabha answer, 3 February 2026 |
Gujarat runs a separate state service on the same number. Its Karuna Animal Ambulance started on 6 October 2017 with 11 ambulances for stray animals, says operator EMRI Green Health Services. EMRI says 26 more were added in 2018 to cover every district.
How many mobile veterinary units does each state have?
Rajasthan has the most, with 536 units, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 520 and Madhya Pradesh with 406. These three hold 1,462 of the 4,019 units, or 36.4%. Andhra Pradesh (340) and Bihar (307) complete the top five, which together run 2,109 units, or 52.5%.
At the other end, Goa has 2 units, Delhi 3, Puducherry 4 and Sikkim 6. Ladakh has 9 and Tripura 13. The count follows livestock, not people, so small and urban states get very few.
The figure has barely moved since early 2025. The Lok Sabha heard of 4,016 units on 11 February 2025 and 4,019 on 12 August 2025. The 3 February 2026 answer said there was no proposal to add more.
Source: Lok Sabha unstarred question 500, answered 3 February 2026, Annexure I. Cumulative since 2021-22.
Show the numbers
| Label | lakh animals |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 67.5 lakh |
| Chhattisgarh | 37.4 lakh |
| Rajasthan | 37.0 lakh |
| Andhra Pradesh | 28.5 lakh |
| Tamil Nadu | 17.0 lakh |
| Bihar | 13.7 lakh |
| Madhya Pradesh | 13.1 lakh |
| Assam | 9.1 lakh |
| Karnataka | 7.1 lakh |
| Gujarat | 6.7 lakh |
| Uttarakhand | 3.4 lakh |
| Jharkhand | 3.2 lakh |
| Haryana | 2.7 lakh |
| Maharashtra | 2.5 lakh |
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Source: Lok Sabha unstarred question 500, 3 February 2026. Total 4,019 in 29 states and UTs.
Show the numbers
| Label | units |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 536 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 520 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 406 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 340 |
| Bihar | 307 |
| Karnataka | 275 |
| Tamil Nadu | 245 |
| Jharkhand | 236 |
| West Bengal | 218 |
| Chhattisgarh | 163 |
| Assam | 159 |
| Gujarat | 127 |
| Maharashtra | 80 |
| Haryana | 70 |
| Uttarakhand | 60 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 50 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 44 |
| Manipur | 33 |
| Kerala | 29 |
| Mizoram | 26 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 25 |
| Meghalaya | 17 |
| Nagaland | 16 |
| Tripura | 13 |
| Ladakh | 9 |
| Sikkim | 6 |
| Puducherry | 4 |
| Delhi | 3 |
| Goa | 2 |
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| State or UT | Units | Farmers benefitted | Animals treated | Animals per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 520 | 35,78,836 | 67,49,783 | 12,980 |
| Chhattisgarh | 163 | 12,25,925 | 37,39,380 | 22,941 |
| Rajasthan | 536 | 9,62,491 | 37,01,865 | 6,906 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 340 | 27,32,530 | 28,52,505 | 8,390 |
| Tamil Nadu | 245 | 4,43,239 | 17,03,178 | 6,952 |
| Bihar | 307 | 5,68,096 | 13,67,823 | 4,455 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 406 | 10,70,891 | 13,14,261 | 3,237 |
| Assam | 159 | 2,28,296 | 9,09,039 | 5,717 |
| Karnataka | 275 | 4,64,384 | 7,13,054 | 2,593 |
| Gujarat | 127 | 4,33,377 | 6,68,103 | 5,261 |
| Uttarakhand | 60 | 1,62,956 | 3,41,068 | 5,684 |
| Jharkhand | 236 | 1,49,579 | 3,15,734 | 1,338 |
| Haryana | 70 | 54,011 | 2,65,406 | 3,792 |
| Maharashtra | 80 | 1,45,060 | 2,50,546 | 3,132 |
| West Bengal | 218 | 15,991 | 1,70,273 | 781 |
| Mizoram | 26 | 57,038 | 90,862 | 3,495 |
| Nagaland | 16 | 23,902 | 61,600 | 3,850 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 50 | 31,919 | 61,296 | 1,226 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 25 | 47,257 | 53,089 | 2,124 |
| Tripura | 13 | 5,942 | 40,280 | 3,098 |
| Puducherry | 4 | 7,799 | 31,833 | 7,958 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 44 | 30,445 | 30,943 | 703 |
| Kerala | 29 | 26,229 | 29,122 | 1,004 |
| Manipur | 33 | 13,921 | 13,921 | 422 |
| Meghalaya | 17 | 945 | 7,946 | 467 |
| Sikkim | 6 | 4,380 | 6,515 | 1,086 |
| Ladakh | 9 | 2,623 | 2,425 | 269 |
| Goa | 2 | 818 | 1,473 | 736 |
| Delhi | 3 | 214 | 264 | 88 |
| India (29 states and UTs) | 4,019 | 1,24,89,094 | 2,54,93,587 | 6,343 |
Uttar Pradesh's 520 units had treated 67,49,783 animals, 26.5% of the national total. Chhattisgarh, with only 163 units, came second at 37,39,380. Rajasthan's 536 units were third at 37,01,865.
Those three states account for 55.7% of all animals treated. West Bengal's 218 units had treated 1,70,273 animals, fewer than Uttarakhand's 60 units at 3,41,068.
How many sanctioned mobile vet units never started running?
The centre sanctioned 4,340 units, and 4,016 were running on 31 January 2025, or 92.5%, a gap of 324. It hides two opposite stories.
Five places never ran their units. Odisha (181), Telangana (100), Punjab (70) and Lakshadweep (9) returned the money after sanction, and Andaman and Nicobar (5) had not asked for funds. Together these come to 365 units. Delhi's 3 units were not running in January 2025 but appear in the February 2026 list.
Jammu and Kashmir went the other way. It was sanctioned 6 units but runs 50, because the centre bears running costs for 44 vehicles the UT bought itself.
Source: Lok Sabha unstarred question 1287, 11 February 2025. Odisha, Telangana, Punjab and Lakshadweep returned funds; Andaman and Nicobar had not requested funds.
Show the numbers
| Label | units |
|---|---|
| Odisha | 181 |
| Telangana | 100 |
| Punjab | 70 |
| Lakshadweep | 9 |
| Andaman and Nicobar | 5 |
| Delhi (listed as running in 2026) | 3 |
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| State or UT | Sanctioned | Operational | Funds sanctioned and released (Rs crore) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 536 | 536 | 133.88 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 520 | 520 | 161.75 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 406 | 406 | 134.08 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 340 | 340 | 84.09 |
| Bihar | 307 | 307 | 54.57 |
| Karnataka | 275 | 275 | 76.66 |
| Tamil Nadu | 245 | 245 | 42.21 |
| Jharkhand | 236 | 236 | 37.76 |
| West Bengal | 218 | 218 | 54.35 |
| Odisha | 181 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Chhattisgarh | 163 | 163 | 38.98 |
| Assam | 159 | 159 | 46.73 |
| Gujarat | 127 | 127 | 11.83 |
| Telangana | 100 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Maharashtra | 80 | 80 | 15.60 |
| Haryana | 70 | 70 | 15.98 |
| Punjab | 70 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Uttarakhand | 60 | 60 | 23.59 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 44 | 44 | 8.74 |
| Manipur | 33 | 33 | 5.28 |
| Kerala | 29 | 29 | 7.25 |
| Mizoram | 26 | 26 | 7.56 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 25 | 25 | 6.06 |
| Meghalaya | 17 | 17 | 4.66 |
| Nagaland | 16 | 16 | 3.29 |
| Tripura | 13 | 13 | 3.27 |
| Ladakh | 9 | 9 | 2.01 |
| Lakshadweep | 9 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 6 | 50 | 13.33 |
| Sikkim | 6 | 6 | 2.95 |
| A&N Islands | 5 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Puducherry | 4 | 4 | 0.87 |
| Delhi | 3 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Goa | 2 | 2 | 0.26 |
| India | 4,340 | 4,016 | 997.59 |
Total central money for the units stood at Rs 997.59 crore by 31 January 2025. Uttar Pradesh received the most, Rs 161.75 crore, then Madhya Pradesh (Rs 134.08 crore) and Rajasthan (Rs 133.88 crore). That works out to about Rs 24.8 lakh per running unit.
Lakshadweep's case is on record. The centre released Rs 144 lakh in 2021 for 9 units, and the UT returned it. It cited limited land area and low livestock population, the ministry said on 9 December 2025.
How many animals have 1962 mobile vet units treated?
By the ministry's count on 3 February 2026, 2.55 crore animals had been treated and 1.25 crore farmers served since 2021-22. On average that is 2.04 animals per farmer served and 6,343 animals per unit.
The total is growing fast even though the fleet is not. On 1 April 2025 the ministry reported 75.78 lakh farmers and 1.58 crore animals. Ten months later the counts were 49.11 lakh farmers and 96.94 lakh animals higher.
Andhra Pradesh shows the same climb. Its 340 units had treated 19.11 lakh animals for 17.72 lakh farmers by 1 April 2025. By February 2026 the figures were 28.53 lakh animals and 27.33 lakh farmers.
Source: Lok Sabha unstarred question 5012 (1 April 2025) and 500 (3 February 2026). Both are cumulative since 2021-22.
Show the numbers
| Label | lakh |
|---|---|
| Farmers, Apr 2025 | 75.8 lakh |
| Farmers, Feb 2026 | 124.9 lakh |
| Animals, Apr 2025 | 158 lakh |
| Animals, Feb 2026 | 254.9 lakh |
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| Date of answer | What was reported | Units | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 March 2023 | Funds released for procurement (4,332 in 2021-22 and 5 in 2022-23) | 4,337 | Rajya Sabha Q 2817 |
| 5 December 2023 | Funds released for procurement, 34 states and UTs | 4,340 | Lok Sabha Q 405 |
| 11 February 2025 | Operational (as on 31 January 2025), 28 states and UTs | 4,016 | Lok Sabha Q 1287 |
| 12 August 2025 | Operational, 29 states and UTs | 4,019 | Lok Sabha Q 3885 |
| 3 February 2026 | Operational, 29 states and UTs | 4,019 | Lok Sabha Q 500 |
| 21 July 2026 | Operational, 29 states and UTs | 4,019 | Lok Sabha Q 262 |
| Indicator | Target 2025-26 (lakh) | Quarterly split (lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Calls attended through 1962 call centres | 50 | 10, 13, 13, 14 |
| Livestock treated through MVUs | 70 | Annual target |
| Farmers benefitted through MVUs | 35 | Annual target |
The government's targets for 2025-26 were 50 lakh calls on 1962, 70 lakh livestock treated and 35 lakh farmers served, per its output-outcome framework. No official full-year outcome for 2025-26 was published in the sources we found.
The cumulative gain between April 2025 and February 2026, 96.94 lakh animals, is a derived figure. The two answers do not give an exact cut-off date, so treat it as a rough ten-month change.
Which states have enough mobile vet units for their livestock?
The scheme's norm is one unit per lakh livestock. Against the 2019 Livestock Census, most running states sit almost exactly on that line. Andhra Pradesh has 340 units for 340.7 lakh animals, and Madhya Pradesh 406 for 406.4 lakh.
Maharashtra is the clear outlier, with 80 central units for 330.8 lakh livestock, or 0.24 per lakh. Gujarat has 0.47 and West Bengal 0.58. In April 2025 the ministry, citing the state, said Maharashtra had 153 units in all, counting its own scheme.
Small north-eastern states are above the norm. Mizoram has 7.23 units per lakh livestock and Manipur 5.99. Across India, 4,019 units for 536.76 million livestock work out to 0.75 per lakh.
dogeats.in calculation. Units: Lok Sabha Q 500, 3 February 2026. Livestock: 20th Livestock Census 2019, Lok Sabha Q 4449, 28 March 2023. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh combined, as in the 2019 census.
Show the numbers
| Label | units per lakh livestock |
|---|---|
| Mizoram | 7.23 |
| Manipur | 5.99 |
| Nagaland | 2.89 |
| Puducherry | 2.64 |
| Sikkim | 2.19 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2.15 |
| Goa | 1.51 |
| Uttarakhand | 1.36 |
| Chhattisgarh | 1.03 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1.00 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1.00 |
| Jharkhand | 1.00 |
| Kerala | 1.00 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1.00 |
| Tamil Nadu | 1.00 |
| Haryana | 0.99 |
| Tripura | 0.99 |
| Karnataka | 0.95 |
| Rajasthan | 0.94 |
| Assam | 0.88 |
| Bihar | 0.84 |
| Delhi | 0.83 |
| Meghalaya | 0.83 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 0.76 |
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh | 0.71 |
| West Bengal | 0.58 |
| Gujarat | 0.47 |
| Maharashtra | 0.24 |
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| State or UT | Units (2026) | Livestock, 2019 census (lakh) | Units per lakh livestock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mizoram | 26 | 3.6 | 7.23 |
| Manipur | 33 | 5.5 | 5.99 |
| Nagaland | 16 | 5.5 | 2.89 |
| Puducherry | 4 | 1.5 | 2.64 |
| Sikkim | 6 | 2.7 | 2.19 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 25 | 11.6 | 2.15 |
| Goa | 2 | 1.3 | 1.51 |
| Uttarakhand | 60 | 44.3 | 1.36 |
| Chhattisgarh | 163 | 158.7 | 1.03 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 340 | 340.7 | 1.00 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 44 | 44.1 | 1.00 |
| Jharkhand | 236 | 236.1 | 1.00 |
| Kerala | 29 | 29.1 | 1.00 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 406 | 406.4 | 1.00 |
| Tamil Nadu | 245 | 245.0 | 1.00 |
| Haryana | 70 | 70.5 | 0.99 |
| Tripura | 13 | 13.2 | 0.99 |
| Karnataka | 275 | 290.1 | 0.95 |
| Rajasthan | 536 | 568.0 | 0.94 |
| Assam | 159 | 180.9 | 0.88 |
| Bihar | 307 | 365.4 | 0.84 |
| Delhi | 3 | 3.6 | 0.83 |
| Meghalaya | 17 | 20.4 | 0.83 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 520 | 680.1 | 0.76 |
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh | 59 | 83.3 | 0.71 |
| West Bengal | 218 | 374.8 | 0.58 |
| Gujarat | 127 | 268.9 | 0.47 |
| Maharashtra | 80 | 330.8 | 0.24 |
The 21st Livestock Census was carried out in 2024-25, but the ministry said in July 2025 that its data were still being compiled. We found no published results by October 2026, and these ratios will shift when they appear.
How busy is each mobile veterinary unit?
Chhattisgarh's units are the busiest by far, averaging 22,941 animals each since 2021-22. Uttar Pradesh follows at 12,980 and Andhra Pradesh at 8,390. The national average is 6,343.
Delhi's units averaged 88 animals each, Ladakh's 269 and Manipur's 422. West Bengal, with 218 units, averaged 781. Low counts can reflect late starts, thin livestock numbers, or weak reporting, and the data do not say which.
dogeats.in calculation from Lok Sabha Q 500, 3 February 2026 (cumulative animals treated divided by units).
Show the numbers
| Label | animals per unit |
|---|---|
| Chhattisgarh | 22,941 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 12,980 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 8,390 |
| Puducherry | 7,958 |
| Tamil Nadu | 6,952 |
| Rajasthan | 6,906 |
| Assam | 5,717 |
| Uttarakhand | 5,684 |
| Gujarat | 5,261 |
| Bihar | 4,455 |
| Nagaland | 3,850 |
| Haryana | 3,792 |
| Mizoram | 3,495 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3,237 |
| Maharashtra | 3,132 |
| Tripura | 3,098 |
| Karnataka | 2,593 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2,124 |
| Jharkhand | 1,338 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1,226 |
| Sikkim | 1,086 |
| Kerala | 1,004 |
| West Bengal | 781 |
| Goa | 736 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 703 |
| Meghalaya | 467 |
| Manipur | 422 |
| Ladakh | 269 |
| Delhi | 88 |
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States also differ in how many animals each visit covers. Chhattisgarh logged 3.05 animals per farmer and Rajasthan 3.85, while Andhra Pradesh logged 1.04. Kerala's 29 units had served 26,229 farmers and 29,122 animals.
Can you call 1962 for a dog in Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru?
The data say the network is thin in cities. Delhi's 3 units had served 214 farmers and treated 264 animals since 2021-22. Goa's 2 units had treated 1,473, and Puducherry's 4 units 31,833.
Maharashtra's 80 central units had treated 2,50,546 animals across the state, and Karnataka's 275 had treated 7,13,054. None of the official tables split out dogs, pets or Mumbai and Bengaluru city limits.
The best species split we found is from Karnataka. Deccan Herald reported on 13 March 2025 that the state's 1962 service had treated 5 lakh animals in 19 months. Cattle were 3.3 lakh and 'other animals' 4,000, about 0.8%.
Source: Deccan Herald, 13 March 2025 (press report of state figures; rounded). 'Other animals' is not broken down further.
Show the numbers
| Label | animals |
|---|---|
| Cattle | 3.3 lakh |
| Sheep | 86,000 |
| Goats | 50,000 |
| Buffaloes | 29,000 |
| Other animals | 4,000 |
| Pigs | 1,000 |
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- For a dog emergency, call your regular vet or the nearest 24-hour clinic first.
- Ask your state's 1962 call centre whether it attends pets or stray dogs before relying on it.
- Heatstroke, poisoning and road injuries need treatment within the hour; see our heatstroke guide.
- Keep your vet's number and the nearest emergency clinic's number saved on your phone.
Deccan Herald reported on 24 May 2026 that Karnataka's units had treated about 10 lakh animals since August 2023, close to 1,000 a day. The official February 2026 figure for Karnataka was 7,13,054, so press and Parliament figures differ.
For city dogs, access to a vet matters more. Our report on vets per lakh population shows how thinly vets are spread, and vaccination costs lists clinic rates.
How much does the government spend on mobile veterinary units?
The units are funded through the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme. Its budget for 2026-27 is Rs 2,010 crore, up from a revised Rs 1,980 crore in 2025-26. Actual spending was Rs 801.48 crore in 2022-23 and Rs 1,728.57 crore in 2024-25.
The vehicles themselves cost little next to the running bill. The centre released Rs 682.85 crore for 4,340 vehicles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. It released Rs 55.45 crore to 13 states for running costs in 2023-24.
In Karnataka's 2022 sanction, PIB put the vehicle cost at Rs 16 lakh each and running cost at Rs 18.72 lakh per vehicle a year. Rs 44 crore covered 275 new vans, and annual running cost was about Rs 54.75 crore.
That release counted 290 vehicles for Karnataka, including 15 existing vans. The parliamentary tables list 275 units for the state.
Source: Lok Sabha starred Q 430, 1 April 2025 (2022-23, 2023-24 actuals); Union Budget 2026-27 Expenditure Budget, Demand 44 (2024-25 actual, 2025-26 revised, 2026-27 budget). Whole scheme, not MVUs alone.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs crore |
|---|---|
| 2022-23 actual | Rs 801 crore |
| 2023-24 actual | Rs 1,037 crore |
| 2024-25 actual | Rs 1,729 crore |
| 2025-26 revised | Rs 1,980 crore |
| 2026-27 budget | Rs 2,010 crore |
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| Year | Budget estimate | Revised estimate | Actual | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 2,000.00 | 1,390.02 | 801.48 | Lok Sabha Q 430, 1 April 2025 |
| 2023-24 | 2,349.71 | 1,500.00 | 1,037.20 | Lok Sabha Q 430, 1 April 2025 |
| 2024-25 | 2,465.00 | 1,980.00 | 1,728.57 | Expenditure Budget 2026-27 (actual); Q 430 for BE and RE |
| 2025-26 | 1,980.00 | 1,980.00 | Not yet published | Expenditure Budget 2026-27 |
| 2026-27 | 2,010.00 | Not yet | Not yet | Expenditure Budget 2026-27 |
Spending fell short of budget each year from 2022-23 to 2024-25. In 2022-23 the scheme spent 40.1% of its budget estimate, and in 2024-25 it spent 70.1%.
Staff are the other limit. States reported 10,474 vacant posts of veterinary doctors against 40,603 sanctioned, the ministry said on 9 December 2025. So 25.8% of posts were vacant, and every unit needs one vet on board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1962 helpline number?
1962 is India's toll-free number for mobile veterinary units under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme. A state call centre with vets takes the call and sends the nearest unit. On 3 February 2026 there were 4,019 units in 29 states and UTs.
Is 1962 a dog ambulance?
Not as a rule. The ministry describes it as a service for livestock farmers, and official data do not count dogs. Delhi's 3 units had treated 264 animals since 2021-22. For a dog emergency, call your own vet or a 24-hour clinic first.
How many mobile veterinary units are there in India?
4,019 units were operational in 29 states and UTs, per Lok Sabha answers of 3 February and 21 July 2026. The centre had sanctioned 4,340, but Odisha, Telangana, Punjab and Lakshadweep returned the money.
Which state has the most mobile veterinary units?
Rajasthan has 536 units, Uttar Pradesh 520 and Madhya Pradesh 406, per the February 2026 Lok Sabha answer. Uttar Pradesh's units have treated the most animals, 67.5 lakh since 2021-22.
Is the 1962 animal ambulance free?
The centre pays for the vehicles and shares running costs with states, but charges are set by each state. Kerala, for example, says farmers pay a nominal service charge for transport, medicines and treatment. Ask your state call centre.
How many animals have mobile veterinary units treated?
2,54,93,587 animals for 1,24,89,094 farmers since 2021-22, per a Lok Sabha answer of 3 February 2026. In April 2025 the figures were 1.58 crore animals and 75.78 lakh farmers.
Does Delhi have a 1962 mobile vet unit?
Delhi has 3 units under the central scheme. They had served 214 farmers and treated 264 animals since 2021-22, per the February 2026 Lok Sabha answer. They were not running on 31 January 2025 and appear in the February 2026 list.
Why does Odisha or Telangana not have central MVUs?
Odisha (181 units), Telangana (100) and Punjab (70) returned the central funds after sanction, the ministry told the Lok Sabha in February 2025. Telangana launched 100 state mobile veterinary clinics in September 2017, says operator EMRI Green Health Services.
Methodology and limitations
We searched an index of about 26,000 Lok Sabha questions from February 2025 to August 2026 for mobile veterinary units, veterinary services and the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme. We downloaded 17 answers from sansad.in on 11 October 2026 and read them in full. We also read four older answers from 2023 on the department's website.
State tables were typed from the annexures and checked in Python. The 29 state rows in the February 2026 table add up to the stated totals of 4,019 units, 1,24,89,094 farmers and 2,54,93,587 animals. The January 2025 table adds up to 4,340 sanctioned, 4,016 operational and Rs 997.59 crore.
Animals per unit, animals per farmer and units per lakh livestock are dogeats.in calculations. Livestock counts come from the 20th Livestock Census (2019) as given in Lok Sabha answer 4449 of 28 March 2023. Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are combined because the 2019 census counted them together.
Budget figures come from Lok Sabha starred question 430 (1 April 2025) and the Union Budget 2026-27 Expenditure Budget for the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Targets come from the department's Output-Outcome Monitoring Framework for 2025-26.
Press figures from Deccan Herald and operator figures from EMRI Green Health Services are labelled as such. We did not find an official count of dogs or pets treated by 1962 units.
Sources
- Lok Sabha unstarred question 500, Mobile Veterinary Units, answered 3 February 2026, State-wise units, farmers benefitted and animals treated since 2021-22; no proposal to add units
- Lok Sabha unstarred question 1287, Mobile Veterinary Units, answered 11 February 2025, Units sanctioned vs operational and funds released by state, as on 31 January 2025
- Union Budget 2026-27, Expenditure Budget, Demand No. 44, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, LHDCP actual 2024-25, revised 2025-26 and budget 2026-27
- Also consulted: Lok Sabha unstarred question 5012, answered 1 April 2025, Lok Sabha starred question 430, LHDCP, answered 1 April 2025, Lok Sabha unstarred question 3885, answered 12 August 2025, Lok Sabha unstarred question 1498, answered 9 December 2025, Lok Sabha unstarred question 1400, answered 9 December 2025, Lok Sabha unstarred question 262, answered 21 July 2026, Lok Sabha unstarred question 1499, answered 28 July 2026, Lok Sabha unstarred question 405, answered 5 December 2023, Rajya Sabha unstarred question 2817, answered 24 March 2023, Lok Sabha unstarred question 4449, Livestock Census, answered 28 March 2023, PIB, MVUs inaugurated in Karnataka, 8 May 2022, DAHD Output-Outcome Monitoring Framework 2025-26 (via DMEO), Kerala Animal Husbandry Department, 1962 Call Centre and Mobile Veterinary Unit, Deccan Herald, 13 March 2025 (press), EMRI Green Health Services, 1962 animal mobile medical ambulance (operator), Lok Sabha unstarred question 3737, 11 August 2026 (Tamil Nadu, 245 units), Lok Sabha starred question 233, 4 August 2026 (Madhya Pradesh, 406 units), Lok Sabha unstarred question 2854, 18 March 2025 (Uttar Pradesh district list), Rajya Sabha starred question 206, 19 March 2025, Lok Sabha unstarred question 4857, 1 April 2025 (Maharashtra 153 units), Deccan Herald, 24 May 2026 (press).
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