In order to strengthen the research activity on FMD, an integrated “All India Co-ordinated Research Project for FMD virus typing” was initiated in 1968 by ICAR with a Central Laboratory at Mukteswar and three Regional Centres located at Hissar, Hyderabad and Calcutta. Subsequently the scope of this project was expanded in July, 1971 to All India Co-ordinated Research Project for Epidemiological studies on Foot-and-Mouth disease with increased outlay and inputs in terms of laboratory space, experimental animal shed facility, scientific manpower, four additional Regional Centres and Epidemiological Units for extensive FMD surveillance throughout the country. In the successive years the activity of the project was expanded by incorporating several regional centers and network units up to 8th plan. In 9 th Five Year plan the project has been upgraded to a Project Directorate during the year 2001 functioning with a central laboratory at Mukteswar and 9 regional center and 12 coordinating units distributed in all the states in the country. Currently the project directorate has 6 regional and 21 collaborating centres covering the length and breadth of the country. Further PDFMD has been upgraded as Directorate on Foot and Mouth Disease during 2015-16.