Lok Sabha Question No. 4106 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Shutdown of Abattoirs
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: CHANDU LAL SAHU, DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL, A.T. (NANA) PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING AND FISHERIES

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4106 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH  MARCH, 20 18

## SHUTDOWN OF ABATTOIRS

4106. SHRI CHANDU LAL SAHU: SHRI. DEVJI M. PATEL: SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether as per the ICAR, nearly 9.12 lakh buffaloes which can produce 2,95,50,000 tonnes of gobar manure to fertilize 39.40 hectares of agricultural land, are slaughtered in abattoirs every year and on an average 10,89,000 tonnes of manure could be produced per year and losses of billions of rupees are incurred every year due to slaughter of these animals;
- (b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to safeguard these bovines;
- (c) whether the Government is considering a complete shutdown of abattoirs; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRIMATI KRISHNA RAJ)

- (a) As informed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) that 'ICAR does not have any data on slaughter of buffaloes or the volume of gobar manure produced from buffalo dung'.
- (b) Government of India has been implementing following schemes for development and protection of buffalo population in the country:
- i) Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission:    The  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission  has  been  initiated  with  aim  of  development  and conservation of indigenous bovines breeds including cattle and buffaloes
- ii) National Dairy Plan-I has been implemented with the aim of enhancing production of productivity of milch animals and to provide rural milk producers greater access to the organized milk processing centre. The scheme also  has  focus  on  development  and  conservation  of  6  indigenous  breeds  of  buffaloes  (Mehsani,  Murrah, Jaffarabadi, Nili Ravi, Banni and Pandharpuri).
- iii) Livestock  Health  and  Disease  Control  implemented  for  tackling  the  issues  of  livestock  health,  assistance  is released under the scheme to the States & UTs.
- iv) National  Livestock  Mission  having  Sub  Mission  on  Feed  &  Fodder  Development  for  increasing  fodder availability in the country and  under the Sub Mission Livestock Development insurance coverage is being made available to bovines along with other livestock species including buffaloes
- v) Government  has  also  established  three  subordinate  organizations  namely,  (a)  Central  Cattle  Breeding  Farms (CCBFs) (b) Central Herd registration Scheme and (c) Central Frozen Semen Production & Training Institute . These institutes playing crucial role in supply of high genetic merit bulls and semen doses of indigenous breeds including buffaloes.
- vi) Indian Council for Agricultural Research is also undertaking development and conservation of indigenous breeds of bovines including buffaloes through its institutes.
- (c) & (d) Abattoirs are regulated by the State Governments through State legislation as Animal Husbandry is the State subject and legislature of States has exclusive power to legislate.  Most of the State Governments have enacted legislation for banning/restricting/ prohibiting slaughter of animals including buffaloes.

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