New Delhi: Buoyed by the success of unique identification number for humans, the Centre has decided to create a similar UID for cows.
While talks about such a move last year were met with amusement and criticism, the government has now made its intentions clear at the highest level.
In a submission to the Supreme Court on measures to be taken for cow protection and to stop smuggling of cattle across the India-Bangladesh border, the Centre has said that a committee, headed by joint secretary, home ministry, has been formed to find out ways to generate UID for each cow in India.
The UID will have details like age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body, colour, horn type, tail switch and special marks of the animal. While the responsibility for care of abandoned animals will lie with the state governments, the Centre is planning shelter homes in each district to accommodate at least 500 abandoned cows. The panel has suggested that the state governments will have to fund these facilities for cows.
The government has also recommended special care for cows beyond the age of milking. Centre has also proposed a scheme for farmers in distress, to discourage them from selling their cattle after its milking age.
That’s not it. Toll free helplines are being set up where people will be asked to report any suspicious trafficking of cows.
According to sources, India has nearly 47 million indigenous and cross-bred cows. Each of these cows will get a 12-digit UID, which will help the government in tracking their movement and productivity.
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