Punjab: After 7 years, bill on cattle feed gets President’s assent
Punjab: The President of India has finally approved a seven-year-old bill passed by the Assembly to regulate the quality of cattle feed, concentrates, and mineral mixtures. The Punjab Regulation of Cattle Feed, Concentrates, and Mineral Mixtures Bill, 2018, will come into effect this week after a gazette notification is published. This law will ensure standardized quality cattle feed, concentrates, and minerals in the feed provided to the state’s 2.5 million cattle and 4 million buffaloes. Nearly 2,000 cattle feed manufacturing companies, which previously lacked any rules and regulations, will be covered by this law. Its purpose is to increase milk production by ensuring animals receive high-quality feed. This bill was passed by the Assembly in 2018, when the Congress government was in power, with the aim of improving animal health and production. However, after its passage, the then-Legal Remembrancer refused to approve the law, citing the need for Presidential assent because it “imposed a significant restriction on freedom of trade.” He stated that while states could impose reasonable restrictions in the public interest, any bill or amendment for this purpose required the President’s prior approval. Consequently, the bill was sent to the President in 2019 and has been in abeyance ever since. Rahul Bhandari, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, told The Tribune, “We have been regularly raising this issue with the Centre, with the state government stating that legislation is the only way forward for dairy farming, which, apart from agriculture, is the main source of income for rural families.” All manufacturers and dealers of cattle feed and concentrates must register themselves within three months from the date of the first notification. This mandatory registration will be valid for three years. Each manufacturer or dealer must maintain records, and the registration authority will have the right to conduct searches and take samples of feed, concentrates, and minerals.
