Lucknow, Oct 11 (IANS): Nearly 5.2 crore cows and buffaloes in Uttar Pradesh will be geotagged by March 2021, of which 1.3 crore cattle had already been tagged.

These geotagged cattle include 66 lakh cows and 67 lakh buffaloes.

"Each cow and buffalo will have a 12-digit Aadhaar card number by March 2021. Uttar Pradesh will become the first state in the country to do so. This will not only prevent cow slaughter but also illegal transportation of cattle," said Bhuvanesh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry.

According to him each cattle's identity will be detailed vis-a-vis age, breed, height, and ownership etc. Even stray cattle will be geotagged.

If any owner abandons an animal, it can be tracked down with the geotag and action taken against the erring persons.

The cattle will be earmarked with yellow geotag, including a radio chip to track the animal's location. Geotagging will also help check damage to agricultural crops by stray cattle as their original owners would be traced in such cases and penalised.

The aim of the endeavour is to improve the breed and milk yield of cows and buffaloes by ensuring their good health. Lost cattle could also be easily traced with geotagging, sources added.

"Farmers will also be encouraged to turn into 'gau palaks' by providing shelter to stray cattle. The government is providing Rs 900 per cow per month to the 'gau palaks' through direct benefit transfer," the Principal Secretary said.

The 'gau palak' will get additional income through sale of milk, urine, and cow dung.