Cabinet Approves Local Polls with 42% BC Quota

Briefing the media, Srinivas Reddy said the Cabinet had reviewed other administrative issues, including the procurement of rabi season stocks, with a focus on recovering funds from rice millers who failed to deliver on their contractual obligations. The government has threatened to invoke the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against defaulting millers.

In addition, several new proposals were discussed, including a policy for cow protection and the launch of the National Hydrology Project, along with administrative appointments for fisheries cooperative societies, which had been delayed due to the pending elections.

The cow protection bill is designed to enhance cow welfare measures. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed officials to develop a robust policy for the advancement and scientific management of goshalas (cow shelters). To this end, a committee of three officials — Sabyasachi Ghosh, special chief secretary, animal husbandry; Shailaja Ramaiyar, principal secretary, endowments, and M. Raghunandan Rao, secretary, agriculture ؒ— has been formed to draft the policy, after researching successful models from other states.

The bill stresses the cultural and religious importance of cows within Telangana’s traditions, advocating for their protection as a central policy focus. It also stresses the need to respect the sentiments of devotees, particularly those who donate cows to goshalas. Many of these donated cows face untimely deaths due to space shortage and other logistical issues. The bill aims to address these challenges, ensuring that the protection of cows becomes a priority in the state's policy framework.

The bill proposes the establishment of advanced shelters in four strategic locations: Vemulawada, renowned for the ‘Kode Mokku’ ritual where calves are donated; Yadagirigutta; Yenkepally near Hyderabad; and the Animal Husbandry University.