Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that milk and milk products from cows should be seen as an economic opportunity instead of beef.
He made the state after the Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Cattle Preservation (Amendment) Bill allowing the inter-district transportation of cattle.
He said that the decision to allow the transportation was taken to allow cattle to be transported for agricultural purposes as it is linked with the rural economy.
However, he added that the government aims to ban the slaughter of cows.
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The Chief Minister said that the amendment would allow the transportation of the cattle within the state but it will only be limited to the districts which do not share borders with Bangladesh.
“We brought this amendment so that the police in the state do not bet excessive power and also to prevent the misuse of the act”, he added.
Sarma added that it was time for the people to move ahead of the “beef-based economy to something better”
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He said that people should now focus on an economy based on milk from the cows like of the other states in the country.
Sarma further said, “From now onwards vehicles found with illegally loaded cattle would be seized by the police. To send a strong message, these vehicles would not be released but they would instead be auctioned.”