UP cabinet approves scheme to check cattle menace

letters@hindustantimes.com

letters@hindustantimes.com

HT Image

Lucknow: The state cabinet approved on Tuesday a scheme seeking people’s participation in maintenance and protection of the stray cattle in Uttar Pradesh.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath presided over the meeting of the state cabinet that approved the “Mukhyamantri Nirashrit Besahara Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana” providing for handing over of 1 lakh stray cattle to people for maintenance and give them ₹30 per day per cow for fodder. The scheme will cost the government ₹109.50 crore in the firstv phase.

An official spokesman said 2012 animal census indicated that 205.66 lakh animals belonging to cow species were there in the state. In addition, the number of stray cattle may be about 10 to 12 lakh in Uttar Pradesh. There are 523 registered ‘gaushalas’ in the state and the state government was providing ₹30 per day subsidy to them. District magistrates would now identify such persons who may be interested in keeping the stray cattle with them. A subsidy of ₹30 per day per cow will be given to such farmers or other persons. District magistrates and chief veterinary officers would ensure that sufficient fodder was available and such cattle were not let free.

The spokesman said the scheme would help in finding a solution to the problem of stray cattle and hopefully create new job avenues.