UP Budget 2025-26: Stray cattle remain in focus with ₹2K cr thrust

Stray cattle remain among top priorities of the Yogi government with this year’s budget also earmarking a major chunk of funds for feeding them and construction of more conservation centres in the state.

The Buget-2025-26 presented in the assembly on Thursday proposed allocation of ₹2,000 crore to maintain stray cattle and another ₹140 crore to establish 140 large cow conservation centres during the forthcoming financial year.

The previous year’s budget had provided ₹1,000 crore for stray cattle maintenance, though the same was revised upwardly in the middle of the year when the government decided to increase the daily maintenance allowance from ₹30 to ₹50 per cattle.

“A budget of ₹2,000 crore is proposed to maintain stray cows while ₹140 crore is proposed to establish large cow conservation centers. A budget of ₹123 crore is also proposed for strengthening veterinary hospitals/animal service centres,” finance minister Suresh Khanna said in his Budget speech.

As per the Budget speech, around 12.50 lakh stray cattle are protected/conserved in a total 7713 cow shelters across the state. As many as 1.63 lakh stray cattle were handed over to over 1 lakh cattle keepers under the Mukhyamantri Nirashrit Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana and Poshan Mission.

Last year’s Budget put the number of stray cattle and cow protection centres at 14.38 lakh and 7,239 cow shelters besides 303 large centres.

The original Budget last year allocated ₹3,589 crore against ₹4,300 cr this year. However, the allocation was later revised to ₹4,590 crore when the state government decided to increase the daily cow maintenance allowance last year.