UP CM Directs Setting Up Of ‘Gaushalas’ In 7 Districts

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed the officials concerned to set up ‘Gaushalas’ (cow shelters) in seven districts of Bundelkhand and the areas falling in 16 municipal corporations of the state.

As reported by The Times of India, the Chief Minister had convened a meeting on Wednesday, 30 August, for the purpose. According to an official statement, he has also directed the officials to set up cow protection committees to deal with the problem of stray cattle and to make certain that animals in these cow shelters are taken proper care of.

Uttar Pradesh: CM @myogiadityanath directs setting up of cow shelters in seven districtshttps://t.co/NmFGzTgVAg pic.twitter.com/G85skDJ9Zu

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Satyapal Singh Baghel, the UP Animal Husbandry Minister, told The Economic Times that the focus is first on the seven districts in Bundelkhand due to the ‘Anna Pratha’ practice there by farmers to abandon cows after the onset of the summer season till the sowing of the next crop.

CM Adityanath said that UP Gausewa Ayog would be supervising the task. Directives have been issued to form committees under the district magistrates for proper running of gaushalas that are supposed to help in dealing with the problem of stray cattle.

Each cow shelter would be established with a capacity of sheltering 1,000 animals, the Chief MInister said in the first phase.

“We want to take this to the block level. So far, cow shelters are all in the voluntary sector. The government will help build these new cow shelters with proper sheds and boundary walls and a committee under the District Collector is being set up to maintain them with help of NGOs and public,” Rajeev Gupta, a retired IAS officer and the newly-elected chief of UP Gau Seva Aayog, told The Economic Times.

To ensure proper fodder and water were also reasons for issuing these orders.