With an aim to strengthen animal welfare at the grassroots level, the Delhi Government is going to constitute animal welfare committees in all 13 districts to prevent cruelty against animals, officials said.

The committees — Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) — will be set up in all 13 revenue districts in the city with each of them headed by the district magistrate (DM), officials added.

Highlighting that protecting animals is a mark of a sensitive and responsible society, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision follows the recent reorganisation of revenue districts and aims to ensure more effective implementation of animal protection laws at the district level.

These SPCAs will function under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and will include experts and members associated with animal welfare.

Gupta said that with DMs leading these committees, cases of animal cruelty can be addressed more swiftly, with better monitoring and coordination on the ground.

“This will make the overall system more responsive and effective,” Gupta said.

She said that at the state level, the Animal Welfare Board will serve as the apex body overseeing the entire framework. It will monitor the implementation of laws and provide technical and financial support to district SPCAs, significantly enhancing their capacity, Gupta added.

Further, the CM also clarified that with the new system in place, the separately functioning Delhi Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) will be dissolved. The move is expected to streamline the structure, making it more coherent and efficient, she added.

“The combined framework of the state Animal Welfare Board and district SPCAs will not only strengthen institutional mechanisms but also deliver tangible improvements in animal welfare outcomes across the Capital,” she said.