Himachal to be Stray Cattle-free in 18 Months: CM 

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said efforts are on to make the state free of stray cattle within the next 18 months. He was speaking at the launch of the ‘Assistance to gausadan/gaushala/cow sanctuary scheme’ and National Artificial Insemination Programme Phase-II. The CM said that under the scheme cow shelters housing at least 30 cattle will be provided ₹500 per cow per month as maintenance allowance. This will be done after complete tagging under the information network for Animal Productivity and Health (INAPH) and National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP).

He said that cow shelters being run by panchayats, mahila mandals, local bodies and NGOs will benefit from the scheme. The CM said that the government had decided to levy ₹ 1.50 per cattle cess on the sale every bottle of liquor. The income thus generated will be spent on cow shelters and to develop new sanctuaries. He said that under the National Artificial Insemination Programme Phase-II, the facility of artificial insemination will be provided to improve the breed of cattle. The scheme will benefit over eight lakh farmers of the state.

Thakur also interacted with the farmers and members of the managing committee of gausadans and gaushalas. Agriculture and animal husbandry minister Virender Kanwar said, “Efforts would be made to bring all the abandoned cattle into gausadans and cow sanctuaries for which active cooperation of every section of the society is required,” he said.

Additional chief secretary, animal husbandry, Nisha Singh said the National Artificial Insemination Programme Phase-II will go a longway to improve the breed of the cattle in the state. She said efforts were on to make Himachal Pradesh the ‘Milk Bowl’ of the country.

Source: The article is extracted from the Hindustan Times, August 03, 2020.