Uttar Pradesh minister Dharampal Singh on Thursday said orders have been issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India to celebrate February 14 as 'Gau Mata Samman Divas' instead of Valentine's Day.
"An order has been issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India to celebrate Gau Mata Samman Divas instead of Valentine's Day on February 14, 2023 because cows are culturally and economically important for us," the minister of animal husbandry and dairying told reporters here.
Cows are economically important because zero budget farming is based on cow dung and urine, he said.
The minister said no cattle rearer should leave the cows after milking because apart from cow's milk, both cow dung and urine are important for the farmers.
He said cow urine destroys germs of fields and cow dung promotes organic and natural farming and is environment-friendly.