PRAYAGRAJ, Feb. 18 -- In a major step towards strengthening monitoring, management and infrastructure at government-run cow shelters, digital surveillance systems have now been operationalised across the entire Prayagraj region, marking a significant upgrade beyond the district level. Under a state-funded, pan-Uttar Pradesh initiative of the Animal Husbandry Department, CCTV cameras have been installed in cow shelters across three of the four districts of the division - Prayagraj, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh barring Kaushambi where the work is still underway. A centralised digital monitoring control room has been set up at Vikas Bhawan in Prayagraj to oversee operations in real time, officials said. Chief veterinary officer Dr SN Singh said that in Prayagraj district alone, 121 gaushalas have been equipped with CCTV cameras, enabling round-the-clock monitoring of nearly 24,000 sheltered cattle. The system includes advanced night-vision cameras to ensure uninterrupted 24x7 surveillance. Deputy director (Grade-II), Animal Husbandry, Dr Anil Kumar, said the digital monitoring control rooms have been made operational in three districts of the division - Prayagraj, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh - while arrangements in Kaushambi are also in the final stages. Across the division, CCTV cameras have been installed in 121 shelters in Prayagraj, 63 in Fatehpur, 64 in Pratapgarh and 76 in Kaushambi. Officials stated that the move aims to establish a robust, transparent and accountable monitoring system to ensure proper upkeep of cow shelters. With digital oversight in place, facilities such as cattle sheds, clean fodder and drinking water supply, paved flooring, fodder storage rooms, treatment rooms, adequate lighting and solar power systems are being strengthened in a systematic manner. The enhanced surveillance mechanism is expected to improve accountability and streamline cattle care management. In cases of negligence or irregularities, officials can now take immediate corrective action based on real-time inputs from the monitoring centres. Statewide, there are 6,718 rural cow shelters operating across 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. In the first phase of the digital monitoring programme, surveillance arrangements have been introduced in 4,336 shelters spread across 65 districts, officials added....