UP govt launches Rs 2,000 crore initiative for natural farming and cow protection

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh govt has announced a comprehensive plan to promote natural farming with cow protection at its core, allocating Rs 2,000 crore in the recent budget for stray cattle protection.
Since taking over, the Yogi Adityanath govt has prioritised the welfare of cows and stray animals and introduced new schemes to keep them safe and protected on a yearly basis.
Under the Amrit Dhara Yojana, securing loans up to Rs 10 lakh will become quite easy for cattle owners. Under the scheme, farmers maintaining two to 10 cows will be able to access loans from 10 participating banks that have been empanelled to cater to the farmers and cattle owners. While loans up to Rs 3 lakh will be provided without any guarantor, the latest scheme will encourage traditional farming methods while tackling the stray cattle issue.
CM Yogi emphasised the dual benefits of the programme.
"Natural farming not only ensures better health for people and soil but also creates a sustainable model where cow shelters can become self-sufficient," he said at the launch event of the scheme.
The state govt has established a network of cow shelters across Uttar Pradesh and earmarked Rs 1,001 crore in the supplementary budget for the upkeep of the shelters. In the next phase, the shelters will be transformed into economic units by utilising cow dung and urine for organic farming.
The initiative comes at a time when global demand for organic produce is surging, particularly in the post-pandemic era. UP's agricultural exports showed remarkable growth, doubling from Rs 88,000 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 170,000 crore in 2023-24.
The govt is particularly focused on promoting natural farming in villages along the Ganga and in the Bundelkhand region, with plans to expand to other riverine areas. Various support schemes, including the ‘Mini Nandini yojana' and MGNREGA, are being utilised to help farmers construct cow sheds and biogas plants at subsidised rates.
"Our goal is to make Uttar Pradesh a hub of natural farming while ensuring the prosperity of farmers," said agricultural minister SP Shahi, while adding, "The latest initiative has received positive responses from farmers and environmental activists alike, who see it as a step toward sustainable agriculture and ecological balance."