BOOSTING ANIMAL WELFARE IN GOA

The Goa Stray Cattle Management Scheme

- Seeja Prabhu

The Government of Goa has demonstrated its commitment to progress time and again, most recently through the highly ambitious and strategic initiative, the Goa Stray Cattle Management Scheme (GSCMS). First launched in 2013 under the visionary leadership of the late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, this scheme is currently being fostered and facilitated by the present Chief Minister, Dr.

Pramod Sawant. The primary objective of the scheme is to ensure that stray cattle are no longer seen wandering on roads and public areas within Goa and are instead provided with proper care and living conditions.

According to statistics reported by the Government of Goa, 365 road accidents occurred in the last year alone, with 25 percent of them attributed to stray cattle, particularly on highways. In addition to posing risks to road safety, stray cattle also disrupt popular tourist destinations, such as beaches, and damage agricultural lands owned by farmers, who are forced to invest in fencing to protect their properties. The main goal of the scheme is to safeguard these voiceless creatures, who often remain abandoned on the streets without any shepherds or owners accountable for their wellbeing. This leads them to roam in search of food, often scavenging through localities.

To address this issue, the government has partnered with various agencies to implement the scheme.