Nov 27, Colombo: Sri Lankan government has decided to amend the Animals Act aiming to prevent the illegal industries in this field.

The Ministry of Livestock Development said that it has drafted amendments to the Act by increasing the penalty for illegal cattle slaughter and transport stipulated in the Animals Act No 29 of 1958.

The Ministry says the Bill will be published in an Extraordinary Gazette of the Government and will be submitted to parliament.

Minister of Livestock Development C.B. Ratnayake says the measure would indirectly boost the local dairy production.

"At the beginning of 2007, we produced 190 million litres of milk, and this figure increased to 202 million litres by the end of the year," he said.

However the cattle slaughtering is not completely banned in the country.