- State-of-the-art cow shelters will be built in big municipalities also
- Chief Minister takes review meeting of Animal Husbandry Department
Bhopal, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has emphasized the state government’s commitment to cow protection and promotion. Our focus is on ensuring the well-being of cattle by providing proper care, food, and nutrition. Alongside this, efforts are being made to enhance the income of cattle rearers. Various schemes are being introduced to support these goals, including the promotion of animal husbandry and milk production in the state. Animals living in registered cow shelters were earlier given a feed subsidy of Rs 20 per animal per day, which is now being increased to Rs 40. The government is also planning to introduce a bonus scheme for milk producers. He said that cow rearing will also encourage the establishment of CNG biogas plant.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav conducted a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department at Mantralaya today. Key officials present at the meeting included Minister of State for Animal Husbandry and Dairy (Independent Charge) Shri Lakhan Patel, Chief Secretary Shri Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Rajesh Rajoura, Principal Secretary Shri Manish Rastogi, and Principal Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Shri Umakant Umrao.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav issued specific instructions to ensure the effective management and operation of cow shelters across the state. He emphasized that all cow shelters currently in operation must be thoroughly inspected to prevent any misuse of grant funds. Dr. Yadav highlighted the importance of involving society also in the functioning of cow shelters. He also directed officials to ensure that all necessary facilities are provided for the cows in these shelters. Additionally, the Chief Minister instructed that grazing lands should be cleared of encroachments through a Panchayat-wise campaign.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav emphasized the need to encourage cow rearing at the household level. He highlighted the high nutritional value of cow’s milk and its significant role in combating malnutrition among children. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of focusing on both the production and marketing of cow’s milk. He suggested that efforts be made to ensure cow milk reaches malnourished children.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that modern cow sheds will be constructed in other big municipalities of the state like Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur. He shared that the state has a total of 187 lakh cattle, with 90.96% (approximately 170.537 lakh) of them being of indigenous breeds. In terms of cow shelter operations, the state currently runs 2,190 cow shelters, housing 3.15 lakh cows. Out of these, 627 shelters are managed by administrative voluntary organizations. Under the Mukhya Mantri Gauseva Yojana, 1.95 lakh cows are housed in 1,563 cow shelters, with an additional 1.20 lakh cows benefiting from the scheme.
Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Shri Lakhan Patel proposed an innovative solution to distinguish between domesticated and destitute cows by attaching different coloured tags to them. This would make it easier to identify and track the cows. Additionally, Minister Shri Patel discussed the idea of setting up a bio-CNG plant. Dr. Yadav expressed support for this initiative. In the meeting, Chief Secretary Shri Anurag Jain recommended the extensive use of sex-sorted semen for improving cattle breeds and ensuring the production of healthy calves.
Principal Secretary Shri Umrao referencing the 20th animal census reports said that there are approximately 1 crore 87 lakh cows in the state. He also shared details about the cow shelter network in the state, with a total of 2,190 registered cow shelters. Of these, 627 shelters are operated by non-government voluntary organizations, while 1,563 shelters are managed under the Mukhyamantri Gau Seva Yojana. These shelters house a total of 3 lakh 15 thousand cows, and they receive financial grants for their upkeep. To support these efforts, the state government has allocated a total budget of Rs 252 crore for the financial year 2024-25. If the grant amount for cow shelters is increased to Rs 40 per animal per day starting in January 2025, an additional budget provision of Rs 34 crore 65 lakh will be required for this financial year.
