State wants Centre to lift ban on cattle sale

The Telangana state government will appeal to the Centre to lift the blanket ban on sale of cattle for slaughter. Cattle are sold in nearly 500 markets across the state.

The government feels that this “draconian” measure will affect around 85 lakh small and marginal farmers. Animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to convene a meeting to take a call.

According to the Central regulation, only farmland owners will be allowed in cattle business at animal markets. The notification covers bulls, bullocks, cows, buffaloes, steers, heifers and calves and camel. The government wants the Centre to lift the ban on sale of old and injured cattle for slaughter as they cannot be used in agricultural activities. Such cattle are usually sent to slaughter. If farmers are not allowed to sell such cattle, they will have to bear the financial burden of keeping them.

States like Kerala and West Bengal have opposed the ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter and other states are seeking certain relaxations.

Animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said that in a federal set-up, the Centre should consult states before taking such a crucial decision affecting lakhs of farmers, besides other industries which are dependent on cattle.

“Such unilateral decisions taken by the Centre will create unnecessary problems in states. This issue is under the consideration of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He is expected to convene a meeting soon and decide how to go ahead on this issue,” Mr Yadav said.

Yadav community celebrates the Sadar festival (buffalo carnival) in a grand manner in the city every year, the day after Diwali. This is now proscribed under the new orders.

The Telangana State government is planning to hold these celebrations officially from this Diwali. Mr Yadav himself has been leading the celebrations as minister for the last two years.

At present, there are 275 government-run animal markets in Telangana State and 175 private ones.

There are another 1,000 small markets in rural areas.

As per animal husbandry department statistics, there are 92 lakh cows, bulls and buffaloes in the state.

Of these, 50 lakh are cows and bulls.

Another imposition by the Central government is that farmers must have identity cards to sell cattle and need to seek certificates from agencies concerned to prove that the cattle is being sold only for agricultural purposes.

“Who will give a certificate that old cattle is being sold for agricultural purpose? What can farmers do with old, useless cattle and other animals?” Mr Yadav asked.

UNILATERAL DECISIONS of the Centre will create problems in states. This issue is under the consideration of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He will convene a meeting soon and decide how to go ahead on this issue, Mr Talasani said