Varanasi: In a landmark step towards strengthening animal welfare and public health, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Vedanta Group, to transform the city’s animal birth control infrastructure and move towards becoming a rabies-free city.
Under the agreement, the existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centre located in Airdhe will be upgraded into a state-of-the-art facility. The centre will be operated and managed for the next 15 years by TAKO (The Animal Care Organization), Vedanta’s animal welfare initiative. The project will be supported by an initial Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) investment of ₹50 crore from the Anil Agarwal Foundation.
The upgraded ABC centre will be equipped in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and guidelines issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India. The facility will focus on scientific sterilisation, anti-rabies vaccination, and humane management of street animals. Officials said the initiative aims to create a sustainable and compassionate model for managing stray animal populations while safeguarding public health.
The MoU was signed by Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal and Ritu Jhingan, President of the Anil Agarwal Foundation. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director of Vedanta Limited and anchor of TAKO, was also present at the signing ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, Priya Agarwal Hebbar said the initiative seeks to establish a humane and sustainable animal welfare model in Varanasi that promotes balance and coexistence between animals and society. She emphasised that the project goes beyond animal care, directly impacting public health, sanitation, and citizen safety.
Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal described the agreement as a milestone in strengthening the city’s animal welfare system. He noted that the partnership would help effectively control the stray animal population, thereby reducing road accidents, rabies cases, and other public health risks. He reaffirmed the goal of making Varanasi a completely rabies-free and animal-sensitive city through the modernised ABC centre.
As part of the agreement, the Anil Agarwal Foundation will be responsible for infrastructure development, deployment of experienced veterinary doctors and para-veterinary staff, procurement of modern equipment, and day-to-day operations of the centre.
Officials believe the collaboration between the Municipal Corporation and Vedanta Group will position Varanasi among the leading cities in India in urban animal welfare management. The model is also expected to serve as a replicable framework for other urban local bodies seeking scientific and humane solutions to stray animal management.
