New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government on Friday said that it will introduce a new law for the conservation and protection of stray cows in the city.
The Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood announced in the Delhi Assembly on Friday. The legislation, aimed at addressing concerns over cow welfare while maintaining civic order, will ensure that responsibilities are clearly defined among different departments.
“We will bring a law for cow conservation and protection after due deliberations, ensuring there is no confusion between different departments. Relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) will also be studied for incorporation into the law,” Sood said.
The proposed law will include strict enforcement mechanisms to curb cow exploitation, illegal cattle trade, and negligence by owners. Additionally, the government is planning to establish new cow shelters, with budgetary provisions already made for their construction and maintenance.
BJP MLA Ashok Goel had moved a private member resolution urging the government to set up additional shelters and enhance the maintenance of existing ones. “The cow is our mother as per our culture and religious texts, but many people abandon them when they stop giving milk. This leads to issues like traffic congestion, accidents, and sanitation hazards,” he said.
According to official data, Delhi Police received 25,393 complaints related to stray cows across the city between 1 January and 19 February 2025, primarily regarding traffic disruptions and accidents, Model Town MLA Ashok Goel informed the House.
Several other MLAs, including Neelam Pehalwan, Gajender Drall, and Manoj Kumar Shokeen, echoed similar concerns. Shakur Basti MLA Karnail Singh called for legal action against owners who abandon their cows on the streets. Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah also raised the issue of stray dogs and monkeys, urging the government to address frequent attacks on children and pedestrians.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently experienced the impact of stray cattle firsthand when her convoy was halted for 15 minutes on the Haiderpur flyover due to cows blocking the road. Following the incident, she directed officials to ensure proper shelter for stray cattle.
In the Delhi budget presented earlier this week, Rs 40 crore was allocated for a ‘Model Gaushala’ (modern cow shelter) in Ghumanhera village. The facility will be equipped with modern amenities to enhance cow protection, improve milk production, and provide veterinary care.
The private member resolution was later passed by a voice vote in the Assembly, paving the way for the upcoming legislation.
Meanwhile, an official from the party, as quoted by PTI, said that the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s flagship education initiatives, including Business Blasters, Happiness Curriculum, and Mission Buniyaad, have been discontinued.
The BJP government is set to replace them with new initiatives such as ‘Rashtraniti’, ‘New Era of Entrepreneur Ecosystem and Vision (NEV)’, and ‘Science of Living’. An official from the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) explained that while NEV will replace Business Blasters, the structure and implementation will differ.
“In the now-discontinued scheme, students were given Rs 2,000 each as seed money. Under NEV, the fund has been raised to Rs 20,000, and the amount will be given to a group of students,” the official said, as per PTI.
Other programmes like the Happiness Curriculum, yoga sessions, and Village Tour have now been merged into a single initiative called Science of Living. “This new programme will focus on teaching students moral values, caring for the elderly, and incorporating various meditation techniques, including yoga, mindfulness, and stretching exercises,” he added.
Previously, these initiatives were conducted as separate sessions over weeks and months. Now, under the new plan, they will be covered in a single session. A timetable will be prepared to ensure effective implementation, the official mentioned.
The Business Blasters programme, introduced in 2021 as part of the Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum, provided seed money to students in classes 11 and 12 to help them develop startup ideas. The Happiness Curriculum, launched in 2018, focused on students from nursery to class 8, incorporating activities like storytelling and self-expression exercises to promote emotional well-being. The programme was launched in the presence of the Dalai Lama.
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