Uttar Pradesh Animal Healthcare: 520 Mobile Units and 1 Million Insemination Target

The news

The Uttar Pradesh government is expanding animal healthcare and cattle conservation across the state. The state operates 520 mobile veterinary units that delivered treatment to 2.693 million animals belonging to 1.348 million livestock owners in 2025-26, officials said. Livestock owners can access free assistance through the toll-free helpline number 1962.

Under Mission Million, the state has set a target of artificial insemination of 1 million cattle to improve breeds and milk-production capacity. According to the department, 867,398 inseminations have been carried out so far. For stray cattle, the state has developed 6,440 temporary cattle shelters, 507 cattle forest shelters and large conservation centres, 253 cattle pounds and 319 Kanha cattle shelters, protecting a total of 1,238,181 cattle. Separately, under the Chief Minister's Participation Scheme, 182,231 cattle have been entrusted to willing farming and livestock-owning families, who receive ₹1,500 per animal per month through direct benefit transfer.

What is the legal basis for cow protection in Uttar Pradesh?

The Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955 prohibits the slaughter of cows, calves, bulls and bullocks in the state. Article 48 of the Constitution of India directs the state to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern lines and to prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle. The Uttar Pradesh Gaushala Act, 1964 provides for the establishment and regulation of gaushalas to maintain and protect cattle. The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Sadar, Adarsh and Shatabdi Veterinary Hospital Rejuvenation Scheme was launched by the state government to renovate and modernise veterinary hospitals.

What is the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay scheme?

The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Sadar, Adarsh and Shatabdi Veterinary Hospital Rejuvenation Scheme operates to renovate and modernise veterinary hospitals across Uttar Pradesh. Mobile veterinary units complement these fixed facilities by bringing treatment directly to livestock owners' doorsteps.

What has the programme achieved and what remains to be tracked?

The 520 mobile units have reached 1.348 million livestock owners, and Mission Million has completed 867,398 inseminations against a target of 1 million. The insemination count measures service delivery, however, rather than confirmed births or realised productivity gains. The stray-cattle shelters protect 1,238,181 animals, and 182,231 cattle have been placed with families under the participation scheme. Monitoring can distinguish veterinary visits, animals treated, inseminations and successful outcomes, and regular assessment of shelter conditions and payment delivery would help identify gaps.