Rupees 500 crore cow project unveiled

New Delhi: Taking the RSS’ pet project of cow shelters forward, the Union government on Monday unveiled the “Rashtriya Gokul Mission, for which Rs 500 crores has been earmarked in the 12th Five-Year Plan.

After the Aadhar enrollment of people, cattle under the scheme will be allotted a unique identification number to be kept in a national database.

The government will financially assist NGOs and other outfits who provide for the upkeep of at least 1,000 cows, of which 40 per cent should be those that no longer give milk. Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh, unveiling the scheme, said 83 per cent of India’s cattle population was indigenous, and needed conservation and preservation.

“Everywhere in the world, barring India, there is a national breeding centre,” he said. The Rashtriya Gokul Mission envisions setting up Gokul Grams (village-level cattle centre) in breeding tracts and near metropolitan cities.

The mission also seeks setting up of “Gopalan Sangh (breeder societies),” incentives to farmers maintaining elite animals of indigenous breeds, “Gopal Ratna and Kaamdhenu (awards to farmers and societies),” organization of milk yield competitions among others.

The Union agriculture minister will head a national level body to supervise and give directions to the mission. The Centre will call a meeting of state ministers in September to implement the scheme. Balanced nutrition will be made available to animals along with area specific mineral mixtures for improving growth and reproductive performance.

The mission also envisions converting cow-urine into bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers, besides selling it to medicine manufacturers. The Union government seeks to establish Gokul Gram within one year.