Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that Govardhan Puja is not only a religious event but also a festival of society's responsibility towards environmental protection, agriculture and livestock. Through Govardhan Puja, the message of reverence towards animals and maintaining traditions related to agriculture is also conveyed in rural areas. This inspires the local community to unite and keep their traditions alive. Keeping this in view, we have decided to celebrate Govardhan Puja this year on a large scale with the participation of the government across the state.
Yadav said that Govardhan Puja also gives the message of environmental and livestock protection, which is also important from agricultural and economic point of view. Through this, we can convey the importance of nature and livestock to the new generation. He said that the objective of Govardhan Puja is to make people aware not only of religious but also economic and ecological importance, which is helpful in the development of a sustainable and capable rural economy.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that cow has been given the status of "Gau-Mata" in Indian culture. Cow is worshipped in various religious rituals and festivals. It is deeply connected with religious beliefs in Indian society. For a long time, there has been a tradition of rearing cow in every house, which strengthened the feeling of unity, harmony and cooperation in the rural society. To benefit the farmers and cattle rearers in Madhya Pradesh, the government is encouraging and supporting both private and government cow shelters.
Chief Minister Yadav said that it is also mentioned in the scriptures that cow is as sacred as River Ganga . Cow is also considered as a form of Goddess Lakshmi. Just as Goddess Lakshmi provides happiness and prosperity, in the same way, Gau-Mata also provides wealth in the form of health through her milk. Cow is worshiped and respected among the entire human race. This festival keeps the Indian people connected to their roots and shows the feeling of respect towards nature. It is also a symbol of promotion of our culture and tradition.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that cow conservation fosters cultural values in the society and its service enhances the feeling of compassion, sensitivity and unity in the society. Gau-Mata is also the source of our spiritual and cultural consciousness. The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to the service, respect and promotion of Gau-Mata. Employment opportunities in rural areas have been increasing due to animal husbandry. Villagers have always got a source of income by selling milk and its products. India is at the top in the world in terms of milk production and cows have an important contribution in this success. Milk production in the country is an important part of the economy and is also a means of livelihood for millions of rural families.
Madhya Pradesh ranks third in the country in milk production
Yadav said that Madhya Pradesh is at the third place in the country by producing 9 to 10 percent of the total milk production of the country. Efforts are being made to make the state a leader in the country by providing facilities for animal husbandry and milk production to the farmer brothers in many villages of the state. The state is producing 5.5 crore liters of milk every day. Madhya Pradesh is ahead of the national average in terms of per capita availability of milk. While the availability of milk per person in the country is 459 grams per day, it is 644 grams in Madhya Pradesh. The state aims to double its milk production in the next five years. In this direction, work has started to increase milk production in about 40 thousand villages. Now milk production has become a source of employment for lakhs of villagers. Particularly the women are playing a leading role in this work.
