The Haryana government will set up six veterinary polyclinics to care for and protect cattle in 'gaushalas', Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said.
"Cows hold religious significance in our culture. In religious texts, the cow has been given the status of the mother," Khattar said on Monday at the closing ceremony of the Haryana Livestock Exhibition - 2023 in Charkhi Dadri where one of the proposed polyclinics will come up.
Apart from increasing the budget for 'Haryana Gau Seva Aayog' to Rs 400 crore from Rs 40 crore for the 2023-24 financial year, the state government is making dedicated efforts to protect cattle, the chief minister said.
According to a government statement, the Khattar also visited the exhibition. Animal Husbandry and Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister JP Dalal and the BJP's state unit chief Om Prakash Dhankhar were present on the occasion.
Khattar said during his address that a new 'Sanjhi Dairy' project has been envisaged in the state budget.
Under this project, a shed will be built on panchayat land for cattle owners who do not have enough space to keep their animals.
The work will be done by the Cooperative department and the scheme implemented from April 1, Khattar said.
Stating that the government has enacted strict laws to protect cattle, Khattar called upon the panchayats and other institutions to come forward in taking care of destitute cows by building shelters. If required, the government will provide grants, he said.
He also urged livestock owners and farmers to adopt other commercial activities such as beekeeping, fisheries and floriculture, apart from traditional farming, and set up small-scale food processing industries.
The government is ready to extend the support required, he said.
Dalal said the exhibition's purpose is to inform farmers and cattle rearers about new techniques that they can use to boost milk production and, subsequently, their incomes.
-With PTI Input
