Hamirpur (HP), Sep 7 (PTI) The Hamirpur district administration in Himachal Pradesh is preparing a comprehensive plan to strengthen cattle shelters and make them self-reliant, with infrastructure development funded by various government schemes, officials said on Saturday.
At present, 2,285 animals are housed in 28 ‘gaushalas’ (shelters for stray cattle) being operated in the district, Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner Amarjeet Singh said, citing data shared by the state animal husbandry department.
Around 2,071 animals in 26 registered shelters have received approximately Rs 6 crore, allocated at Rs 700 per animal per month, through the Gauseva Commission. Additionally, separate funds have been allocated for infrastructural development, Singh said.
The DC said the operators of all the ‘gaushalas’ are putting in good efforts for the upkeep of the shelters. Some shelters have become self-sufficient, but most of them are facing many difficulties in operations.
A comprehensive project will be prepared to overcome these problems and make all the cattle shelters self-reliant by connecting them with agriculture and related-activities. Suggestions from all the operators will also be included in the plan, he added.
Singh said apart from the animal husbandry department, sources of income can be generated from cows through infrastructure development in the shelters by converging schemes of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and other departments such as agriculture, horticulture, and forest.
The project also aims at making ‘gaushalas’ self-reliant by tapping on to milk production, cow urine, cow dung gas, traditional fuel, earthworm compost, natural farming, along with development of pastures and water sources.
The deputy commissioner urged all ‘gaushala’ operators to study and observe the practices of better-managed shelters and strive for continuous improvement in their own ‘gaushalas’ as needed. PTI COR BPL RPA
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