The Madhya Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath will open 1,000 gaushalas across the state in the next six months to provide shelter to one lakh cows, ANI reported.
“These 1,000 shelters would be visible by May as a six-month target is set for starting the first phase of conservation of cows,” Bhupendra Gupta, Officer on Special Duty to Nath told ANI.
Gupta also said that the government is working towards increasing the capacity of private cow shelters.
The move is part of the first phase of the state’s programme – Project Gaushala – for protecting the revered bovine. Gupta told ANI that the cost incurred for the plan would be Rs 450 crore.
With the Department of Rural Development being the nodal authority for the project, it will be run with the help of the gram panchayats, self-help groups and institutions selected by district-level committees, NDTV reported.
“There were no government-run gaushalas in the state. The scheme is the first of its kind in the state. The work for establishing the 1,000 cow shelters in the first phase has already started,” Gupta told ANI.
According to NDTV, Nath while reviewing the programme at the Mantralaya on Tuesday ordered that the cow shelters be opened at the earliest.
The cow shelters will reportedly have sheds, tube wells, pasture development and biogas plants, among other amenities.
(With inputs from ANI and NDTV)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)