Maharashtra government moots cowsheds for unproductive cows

To douse the fire against the proposed law seeking a complete ban on cow and bullock slaughter in the state, the Devendra Fadnavis government has decided to open gaushalas (cowsheds) across state to take care of old, sick and unproductive cows which usually head for slaughter houses.

The move aims to give relief to farmers who are forced to sell their unproductive or sick animals for slaughter. A ban on slaughter would adversely affect farmers as they would be forced to rear such animals.

The government has chalked out a ‘gau-gram yojna’ (cow-village scheme) under which all districts would be asked to establish at least one gaushala in every 10-12 villages. “The government plans to propose Rs90 crore for the scheme in

the 2015-16 budget, which would be launched in Kokan, Marathwada and Khandesh regions in the first phase. We would buy cows of those farmers who can’t afford to rear them,” said Eknath Khadse, minister of agriculture and animal husbandry. Read More…