PRS · Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare ·

Assam’s new cattle preservation law

Distilled Policy Brief

  • The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, which prohibits the slaughter of cows of all ages and allows the slaughter of bulls or bullocks only if they are over 14 years old or permanently incapacitated.
  • The Bill permits inter‑state and intra‑state transport of cattle only for agricultural or animal‑husbandry purposes with a permit, and restricts transport through Assam unless such a permit is obtained.
  • Sale of beef is allowed only at locations authorized by the competent authority and is barred within a five‑kilometre radius of any temple or in areas predominantly inhabited by non‑beef‑eating communities, a restriction that could effectively prohibit beef sales across most towns in Assam.

🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points

Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 bans cow slaughter, limits beef sale near temples, and restricts cattle transport to agricultural purposes.

⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages

Evaluate the impact of Assam’s Cattle Preservation Bill on agricultural practices, inter‑state cattle trade, and communal harmony, and propose policy measures to balance animal welfare with economic and social considerations.

🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill

Polity & Governance

According to the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, slaughter of bulls or bullocks is permitted only if:

  • [A] They are over 14 years of age.
  • [B] They are over 10 years of age.
  • [C] They are employed in agricultural work.
  • [D] They belong to a non‑beef‑eating community.
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
✓ Correct Option: [A] They are over 14 years of age.

The Bill allows slaughter of bulls or bullocks only when they are (i) over 14 years old or (ii) permanently incapacitated. Hence option A is correct; the other options are not mentioned in the Bill.

Tark High-Yield Question Bank ⚡ Practice Full Test in Testing Arena ↗

🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)

UPSC Prelims 2021

Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.

Forensic Anchor: Cabinet Allocation of Business Rules & NCAP Framework
Examiner Trap Takeaway: UPSC swapped Central Pollution Control Board role with State Pollution Control Boards for state-level monitoring.