Punjab: Draft Bill for quality control of cattle feed

The Punjab Cabinet on Monday approved a new draft Bill for enactment in the ongoing assembly session to ensure quality control of cattle feed to boost milk production in the state.

The Punjab Regulation of Compounded Cattle-feed, Concentrates and Mineral Mixtures Act, 2018, seeks to exercise quality control on feed used in the dairy sector.

The Bill will amend earlier legislations on the subject, according to an official spokesperson.

The dairy sector is growing in Punjab and the need was felt to bring in quality control for cattle feed. The main objective of the new legislation will be to regulate manufacturing, distribution, storage and sale of cattle feed concentrates and mineral mixtures in the state, the spokesperson said.

Every manufacturer and dealer would be under obligation to register themselves to fulfil the laid down standards.

In case of any violation, they would be liable for penalty under the provisions of the new Act.

The Punjab government had promulgated the Punjab Regulation of Compounded Cattle-feed, Concentrates & Mineral Mixtures Order, 1988, which was issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

The department had been taking action under this Order to exert quality control on compounded cattle feed, concentrates and mineral mixtures.

The Centre, through the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2006, amended the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 and omitted its Clause-A of Section-2. Clause (A) (i) of Section-2 that covered cattle fodder including oil cakes and other concentrates.

This led to the removal of cattle fodder, including oil cakes and other concentrates, from the jurisdiction of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the spokesperson said.