PUNE: After the announcement of ‘Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog’ in February this year, President of the Yojana Dr Vallabh Kathiria had an informal meeting with the representatives of city-based NGOs working in conservation, protection and development of cows.

The Central Government has constituted ‘Rashtriya Kamadhenu Aayog’ under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying for the conservation, protection and development of cows and their progenies to support the rural, socio-economic and sustainable development. 

Dr Kathiria has been appointed as Chairman of the Aayog.  At the meeting, Kathiria said, “The ‘Gau Sewa’ or cow protection model will be replicated at the national level and a government-recognised laboratory will do research on cow dung, urine and milk for medical uses.”

The former Central minister of state in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1999 and 2004 said, “We will conduct such meetings with representatives in other cities of the State. The Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2015, bans slaughter of bulls, bullocks and calves and makes such slaughter a non-bailable offence, with a punishment of five years’ jail. The mission of the Yojana will be to save cows from illegal slaughtering and making a census of cows of the State.”