With the aim of stopping accidents due to the presence of cattle on roads, as well as to strengthen the rural economy, the Chhattisgarh government is set to launch Gaudham Yojana, where stray cattle will be kept in shelters and locals will get paid to graze and look after them, officials said. This initiative will also promote organic farming, fodder development and cow-based industries, they said. The Indian Express reported last year that 404 people had died and 129 were seriously injured after the vehicles they were travelling in crashed into animals, mostly cattle, in Chhattisgarh over a period of five and a half years. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, “The Gaudham Yojana will protect livestock and generate jobs in villages. Breed improvement efforts will help cattle produce more milk and make them more useful for agriculture.” Shahla Nigar, Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary, told The Indian Express that the scheme would ensure permanent shelter for stray cattle, getting them off the roads and preventing accidents. “It will also ensure they do not stray into farms, damaging crops. We will also provide training for the production of cow dung and cow urine-based products, such as vermicompost, pest repellents, cow wood, gonoil, lamps, tooth powder and incense sticks, and help market them,” Nigar said. “In the first phase, gaudhams (cow shelters) will be established in rural areas located along major national highways,” the officer said. Each gaudham will be able to house a maximum of 200 cattle, depending on capacity. Under the Gaudham Yojana, cowherds will receive a monthly honourarium of Rs 10,916, while cattle attendants will get Rs 13,126. Additionally, a fixed daily allowance will be provided for cattle fodder. Similar schemes had also been launched by the previous Congress-run government in the state. A government source said, “This move by the BJP government is not only an attempt to revive and strengthen the incomplete and failed plan of the previous government, but also a concrete and politically significant initiative aimed at providing a permanent solution to the issue of stray cattle on roads. The Gaudham scheme is expected to boost both cattle protection and the rural economy in Chhattisgarh.” These Gaudhams will be established only on government land with secure fencing, cattle sheds, adequate water supply, and electricity, officials said.
