ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA

Introduction:

• The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body Established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
• The Animal Welfare Board of India, headquartered at Ballabhgarh in Haryana state, is a statutory advisory body advising the Government of India’s Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The AWBI headquarters were previously situated in Chennai.
• The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country.
• Established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (No. 59 of 1960), the Animal Welfare Board of India was started under the stewardship of Late Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, well known humanitarian.
• From ensuring that animal welfare laws in the country are diligently followed, to provide grants to Animal Welfare Organizations and advising the Government of India on animal welfare issues, the Board has been the face of the animal welfare movement in the country for the last 50 years.
• The Board consists of 28 Members. The term of office of Members is for a period of 3 years.

• The Animal Welfare Board of India, the first of its kind to be established by any Government in the world, was set up in 1962, in accordance with Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts 1960 (No.59 of 1960).
• Shrimati Rukmini Devi Arundale pioneered the setting up of the Board, with its Headquaters at Chennai. She guided the activities of the Board for nearly twenty years till her demise in 1986.

About Shrimati Rukmini Devi Arundale

• Rukmini Devi Arundale (Shastri; 29 February 1904 – 24 February 1986) was an Indian theosophist, dancer and choreographer of the Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam, and an activist for animal welfare.
• She was the first woman in Indian history to be nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. The most important revivalist of Bharatanatyam from its original ‘sadhir’ style prevalent amongst the temple dancers, the Devadasis, she also worked for the re-establishment of traditional Indian arts and crafts.
• She espoused the cause of Bharata Natyam which was considered a vulgar art. She ‘sanitised’ and removed the inherent eroticism of Sadhir to make it palatable to Indian upper-caste elites and the British morality of the era.

Functions of Animal Welfare Board of India

• To prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals, in terms of the provision of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.
• To keep the law in force in India for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals under constant study and to advise the government on the amendments to be undertaken in any such law from time to time.
• To advise the Central Government on the making of rules under the Act with a view to preventing unnecessary pain or suffering to animals generally, and more particularly when they are being transported from one place to another or when they are used as performing animals or when they are kept in captivity or confinement.
• To advise the Government or any local authority or other person on improvements in the design of vehicles so as to lessen the burden on draught animals.
• To take all such steps as the Board may think fit for *(amelioration of animals) by encouraging or providing for, the construction of sheds, water troughs and the like and by providing for veterinary assistance to animals.
• To advise the Government or any local authority or other person in the design of slaughter houses or the maintenance of slaughter houses or in connection with slaughter of animals so that unnecessary pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is eliminated in the pre-slaughter stages as far as possible, and animals are killed; wherever necessary, in as humane a manner as possible.
• To take all such steps as the Board may think fit to ensure that unwanted animals are destroyed by local authorities, whenever it is necessary to do so, either instantaneously or after being rendered insensible to pain or suffering.
• To encourage by the grant of financial assistance or otherwise the formation or establishment of Pinjara poles, rescue homes, animals shelters, sanctuaries and the like), where animals and birds may find a shelter when they have become old and useless or when they need protection.
• To co-operate with, and co-ordinate the work of, associations or bodies established for the purpose of preventing unnecessary pain or suffering to animals or for the protection of animals and birds.
• To give financial and other assistance to Animal Welfare Organisations functioning in any local area or to encourage the formation of Animal Welfare Organisations in any local area which shall work under the general supervision and guidance of the Board.
• To advise the Government on matters relating to the medical care and attention which may be provided in animal hospitals, and to give financial and other assistance to animal hospitals whenever the Board thinks it necessary to do so.
• To impart education in relation to the humane treatment of animals and to encourage the formation of public opinion against the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering to animals and for the promotion of animal welfare by means of lectures, books, posters, cinematographic exhibitions and the like.
• To advise the Government on any matter connected with animal welfare or the Prevention of infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals.
• Ensure laws on Animal welfare been followed
• Recognizing Animal Welfare Organizations and help AWOs with specific grants
• Advice Central government, state governments and Local authorities on various issues based on animal welfare

Recognition By ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA

• The Board grants recognition to the newly started Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs).
• For this purpose, the Board has framed certain guidelines according to which the AWO has to submit the registration certificate under the Societies Registration Act or Trust Act,
• The AWO has to agree to nominate a representative of the AWBI on its Managing/Executive Committee and also for regular inspection of its functioning.
•  The new organizations are inspected by Board Members/authorized Inspection Agencies and if the inspection report is satisfactory, then they are considered for grant of recognition.

Financial Assistance

• One of the most important functions of the Board is to provide financial assistance to the recognised Animal Welfare Organisations(AWOs).
• The applications in the prescribed format received from the AWOs are scrutinized and eligible applications are placed before the Board for sanction of grant.
• The Board provides financial assistance to AWOs under various schemes viz. Regular Grant, Cattle Rescue Grant, Provision of Shelter House for looking after the Animals, Animal Birth Control (ABC) Programme, and Provision of Ambulance for the animals in distress and Natural Calamity grant.

Source: ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA

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