The Madhya Pradesh government is going to launch an online service for those wanting to adopt a cow and provide sheds to them at gaushala s (cow shelters) across the State.
While paying for a cow’s feed for 15 days would cost ₹1,100, one could take care of its diet for 10 years for ₹3 lakh. Feeding a cow for six months would cost ₹11,100.
“We have added an extra hundred to multiples of thousands of rupees as that’s considered holy while making donations,” said an official of the Animal Husbandry Department.
Through the service, donors would be able to pick a gaushala from the 626 in the State, and pay the amount to fulfil a cow’s diet of half a kilo of grain, five kilos of green feed and 10 kilos of wheat chaff a day, in case of a non-lactating, non-pregnant cow.
“For now, donors wouldn’t be able to pick a specific cow to feed. If that is allowed, it would be an injustice to other cows who may be left without proper feed and even starve,” said the official. “But if the service receives a positive response, we may post details of cows with photographs online — say, of Bablu or Pinky — so that donors could pick their choice.”
Each contributor will be featured on the department’s website and receive a certificate. Using the service, donors, including NRIs, could pay gaushala managers directly for a borewell, a bull, a biogas plant or a shed. A bull would cost them ₹1.5 lakh that the Department would procure from other States to the designated gaushala .
While District Collectors would make sure donations are put to the desired use, the Department will keep donors informed. There are 7 lakh abandoned cattle in the State and 13 lakh left on the streets by rearers during the day. Gaushala s house at least 75% stray cattle.
In January, the Kamal Nath government had announced it would build 1,000 gaushala s in the State, a promise made ahead of the Assembly election. In the Budget this year, ₹132 crore was earmarked for it. Meanwhile, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, as part of corporate social responsibility, has agreed to build 100 high-tech gaushala s in the State.
Recently, Mr. Nath had stated that protecting cows was the State’s priority. “ Gaumata [cow] is a symbol of faith and pride for us. We can’t see it suffering on the streets.”
