Lucknow, May 11 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Dharampal Singh on Monday directed officials to accelerate the ongoing fodder collection campaign for cow shelters across the state and warned of strict action against those failing to meet targets or showing negligence.
Reviewing the “Bhusa Sangrahan Abhiyan” (fodder collection campaign), which has been underway since April 15, Singh expressed displeasure over the poor performance of Hamirpur, Varanasi, Pratapgarh, Auraiya and Ayodhya districts and instructed officials to expedite the work, according to an official statement.
The minister said fodder collection, cattle feed management and operation of cow shelters should be carried out in “mission mode” to ensure proper care and protection of stray cattle.
“No cattle in gaushalas should remain hungry or thirsty,” Singh said, adding that the government considers cow protection among its top priorities and any laxity in this regard would not be tolerated.
He directed officials to complete fodder and silage tender processes at the earliest and ensure encroachment-free grazing land for cultivation of green fodder.
The minister also said that with wheat harvesting currently underway, there is adequate availability of fodder in rural areas and officials should make maximum use of the opportunity to achieve collection targets within the stipulated period.
According to the statement, the state has fixed a target of collecting 1.37 crore quintals of fodder, out of which 1.11 crore quintals have already been collected.
Singh further instructed officials to ensure adequate supply of fodder, green feed, clean drinking water, shade, medicines and other essential facilities at all cow shelters.
He also stressed maintaining quality standards in medicines and vaccines for cattle and directed timely vaccination drives to prevent infectious diseases among livestock.
The minister laid special emphasis on installation of biogas plants in cow shelters, saying the initiative would help in proper management of cow dung and make shelters self-reliant while also strengthening the rural economy through biogas and organic manure production.
Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Mukesh Kumar Meshram, directed chief veterinary officers to verify cow shelters being operated by NGOs and submit reports regarding their functioning.
Officials informed the meeting that 12,37,694 cattle are currently being sheltered in 7,386 cow shelters across the state. Under the Chief Minister Participation Scheme, 1,84,227 cattle have been handed over to 1,14,481 beneficiaries.
The statement said 1,905 temporary fodder banks and 7,285 permanent fodder banks have been established under the campaign. Jalaun, Muzaffarnagar, Noida, Mirzapur and Mahoba were among the best-performing districts in fodder collection, it added. PTI KIS NB NB
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