New Delhi: The number of stray cattle in Uttar Pradesh went up from 10,09,436 in 2012 to 11,84,494 in 2019, according to the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.According to the district-wise breakdown, Chitrakoot district recorded the highest number of stray cattle at 68,813, followed by Mahboba at 61,765, Gonda at 52,615, Hardoi at 48,173 and Banda at 47, 658. Information is available in all 75 districts in the state. The numbers are worked out based on the Livestock Census carried out by the government.The information was provided by Parshottam Rupala, Union minister of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, February 8, in response to questions raised by BJP MPs Lallu Singh, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, Devendra Singh Bhole and Sangam Lal Gupta.The MPs asked, “Whether the Government is aware of the major problems related to the increasing numbers of stray cattle in the State of Uttar Pradesh?” They also queried the Union minister about the rehabilitative measures taken to deal with stray cattle, and the budget allocated for the same.Also read: UP: As Parties Focus on Caste Politics, Stray Cattle and Lack of Jobs Continue to Vex FarmersIn response, the minister said that the Uttar Pradesh government had rehabilitated 8,87,438 cattle at a cost of Rs 21,11,397 from 2018 onwards. Under the state government, a total of 5,664 cow shelters are operational while 572 Gaushalas are run by voluntary organisations. The Uttar Pradesh government is paying Rs 30 per animal per day for maintenance, the minister added.Stray cattle menaceHowever, the impact of these shelters is debatable. The issue of stray cattle has become the biggest worry for farmers in Uttar Pradesh. After the Adityanath government banned cow slaughter, cattle trade has been severely affected. Fearing vigilante groups – members of which have lynched people by accusing them of cattle slaughter – farmers have begun abandoning their cattle. Once they are past the milk-producing age or are unfit to be used in farming activities, they become a liability. Since farmers can’t afford to feed them, they have no option but to abandon them.This, in turn, is creating problems for farmers. The stray cattle often end up in fields to graze on new crops that are ready to be harvested. In several areas across Uttar Pradesh, one can see farmers having to spend on barbed-wire fences to prevent stray cattle from breaking into fields.
