- UP government plans to make cow shelters self-reliant using cow dung and urine.
- Focus on eco-friendly agricultural practices and sustainable farming.
- Over 7,700 cow shelters and various Yojanas support enhanced organic farming.
Uttar Pradesh government is embarking on a groundbreaking mission to transform cow shelters (Gaushalas) into self-reliant hubs of natural farming. This innovative initiative aims to utilize cow dung and urine, pivotal resources in promoting Eco-friendly agricultural practices, thereby generating economic benefits for farmers across the state.
Self-Reliance Through Organic Inputs
Animal Husbandry Minister Dharmpal Singh emphasized, “We are working at all levels to make cow shelters self-reliant. By collaborating with the National Dairy Development Board and the Agriculture Department, we plan to manufacture vermicompost in all shelters, selling it to farmers to support natural cow-based agriculture.” Discussions during the Maha Kumbh have propelled strategic planning to bolster cow shelters’ contribution to sustainable agriculture and train stakeholders in fodder production and preservation.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
This initiative focuses on the triple benefit approach: prioritize people’s health, enhance land fertility, and promote water sustainability by adopting chemical-free natural farming methods. Cattle are central to this scheme, processing cow dung and urine into organic fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers will derive dual benefits—supplying their families with nutritious milk and improving soil fertility through organic inputs.
Yojanas Supporting Farmers and Gaushalas
To aid farmers further, the Mukhyamantri Sahbhagita Yojana provides stray cattle and financial support, benefiting one lakh farmers with 1.62 lakh stray cattle and monthly aid of Rs 1,500 per animal. The government’s dedicated allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for stray cattle protection enhances the sustainability of these efforts.
Additionally, Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana offers a 50% subsidy on bank loans, promoting indigenous breeds, while the Amrit Dhara Yojana provides up to Rs 10 lakh in loans with simplified guarantee conditions.
A Step Towards Organic Future
This focus on organic farming integrates local water resources with sustainable agriculture practices, targeting villages along the Ganga River and Bundelkhand region. The global rise in demand for organic products following the Covid pandemic has underscored the importance of such initiatives, creating a vision for eco-friendly, nutritious food production transforming Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural landscape.
For more details on this initiative, you can visit the official Uttar Pradesh government website.