U.P. Budget 2023-24: Stray cow maintenance gets ₹750 crore

Of 187 proposed large cow protection centres in all districts of the state, the construction work of 171 centres is already complete, says the U.P. finance minister

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday proposed allocation of ₹750 crore for maintenance of stray cattle in its budget for 2023-24. It also earmarked another ₹120 crore for setting up large cow protection centres.

Around 10 lakh stray cattle are staying in over 6,000 cow protection centres in Uttar Pradesh. (For Representation)

“Of 187 proposed large cow protection centres in all districts of the state, the construction work of 171 centres is already complete,” finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said in his budget speech. “Five cow protection centres each in all the districts in Bundelkhand are operational,” he added.

Around 10 lakh stray cattle are staying in over 6,000 cow protection centres in the state with the government spending ₹900 per cow per month on their maintenance. Another 1.50 lakh stray cows have been adopted by people. Nearly 1.50 lakh stray cattle are still believed to be roaming out and the government has launched a drive to catch and put them in the protection centres.

* ₹116. 52 crore—Prevention of animal diseases

* ₹3.44 crore—Sheep-rearing scheme in districts where sheep are the predominant livestock

* ₹257. 50 crore—Fish market under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

* ₹10 crore— Mukhyamantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

* ₹5 crore—Nishadraj boat subsidy scheme

* ₹86.95 crore—Scheme to strengthen and revive the existing milk unions

* ₹61.21 crore—Implementation of Nand Baba Milk Mission

* ₹60 crore—Dairy projects in Meerut and Varanasi districts

* ₹25 crore—Financial grants, concessions and other facilities to the units of the milk industry to be set up under the Uttar Pradesh Dairy Development and Milk Product Promotion Policy, 2022