Raipur, Jul 28 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday launched a scheme, under which the state government started procuring cow urine at a minimum rate of Rs 4 per litre for making pesticides and organic fertilizers.
Baghel unveiled the scheme at his official residence in the state capital during the celebration of ‘Hareli’, a local agricultural festival. As part of the programme, the chief minister sold five litres of cow urine to Nidhi Self Help Group (SHG) based in Raipur’s Chandkhuri.
Two years back, the state government had launched its flagship ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’, under which it had started buying cow dung from cattle-rearers and farmers at Rs 2 per kg rate. The cow urine procurement scheme is expansion of the same programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Baghel said, “Taking a cue from the multi-dimensional results of the Godhan Nyay Yojana, many states in the country started adopting the model.” Be it rich or poor, everyone is selling cow dung in ‘gauthan’ (livestock shelter), he added.
In the last two years, more than Rs 300 crore have been transferred to the bank accounts of cow dung sellers, gauthan committees and women SHGs under that scheme, the chief minister said.
The flagship Godhan Nyay Yojana was launched with the aim of providing income to cattle-rearers, organic farmers and also strengthening the rural economy, officials said.
The cow dung purchased under the scheme is used for making organic manure on a large scale, which is being used by farmers in the fields, thereby promoting organic farming in the state, they said.
After the successful implementation of the cow dung procurement scheme, the government decided to also buy cow urine. The purchased urine will be used for making pest control products and ‘Jeevamrut’ (liquid organic fertilizer), an official said.
The scheme aims to minimise the use of expensive chemical pesticides and simultaneously promote organic farming in the state by ensuring organic pesticides available to farmers at nominal prices, he said. PTI COR NP NP
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