40 million cows to get Aadhaar-like number under animal UID scheme Pashu Sanjivini

Proposed in 2015, Modi government is set to give 40 million cows a unique Aadhaar like identification number at the cost of whopping Rs 50 crore.

According to a report published in the Hindustan Times, Agriculture Ministry will implement the programme.

The ministry has already obtained the UID technology to give cows a polyurethane tag that will have the information about the breed, age, sex height and body marks about the animal.

The animal UID scheme is named as Pashu Sanjivini. In the Union budget 2018, Rs 50 crore has also been allotted for the project under the deliverable targets.

The move to provide Aadhaar like identification number to cows has been mocked by the Opposition Congress and the party has termed it as a sheer waste of money.

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Modi government's logic behind the move is that it wants to double the industry's income by 2022 by timely giving vaccines to cows, which can improve their breeding and milk production.

Earlier in April last year, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had lashed out at the Narendra Modi government over its move to approach the Supreme Court for giving identification number to cows.

"What has happened to Modiji? Now, they are making Aadhaar cards for cows," said Singh in his tweets.

"What will be the cost of making Aadhaar cards for cows? Will cow vigilantes get the responsibility for this too?" he added.