Panaji, (IANS) Maintaining that the BJP-led coalition government stood by the existing ban on cow slaughter in the state, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said he was working on a scheme which would help dairy farmers maintain cows which are beyond the milk-yielding age, up till their death.

"My government believes in ban on cow slaughter. I'm also aware of the problem faced by farmers who need to feed cows even after they stop yielding milk," he told the ongoing monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly during question hour.

While responding to a question by Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane, Parrikar also said that the upcoming scheme would help farmers maintain old cows that have stopped yielding milk.

"On the lines of the scheme for management of stray cattle menace, a scheme for sustaining old and non-milk yielding cows will be introduced," the Chief Minister said.

"The economical viability of maintaining a cow lasts till it gives milk. Once the cow becomes old, it is uneconomical and unaffordable for the farmers," Parrikar also said.

Rane had said that old non-milk yielding cows were a burden to farmers.

"What do we do with them? All farmers face this problem," Rane had said.

Cow slaughter has been banned in Goa since 1978.