Cow protection and cow rearing has become a social movement in Rewa town with the earnest efforts of Energy Minister Rajendra Shukla, who hails from the place.
The locals are actively taking part in the Gaushala of laxman Bagh Trust. The Trust was formed only a few months ago under the chairmanship of the district Collector.
District Collector Rahul Jain has been monitoring the complete work by himself. People from the local Jain community and others are devoting time and money in the works related to cows.
After successfully administering the gaushala, the Trust has also got engaged in trade of the cows for the benefits of local farmers. The Trust members have brought 40 cows of Gir breed so far from Ajmer (Rajasthan) and almost all of them have been sold out.
Collector Rahul Jain says that the work of the trust is being appreciated from different corners. "We have been using the electricity prepared by the biogas produced from the cow-dung of the gaushala, in the gaushala itself. Besides, recently, in a meeting it has been decided that urine of the cows would be collected and handed over to the local Agriculture University for manufacturing pesticide out of it.
Jain said that at a meeting convened by Public Relations Minister Rajendra Shukla it was finalized that to increase milk production in Rewa, 30 cows of Gir breed would be kept in the gaushala and the milk would be sold out in the market. "This would not only help in increasing milk production, but also provide some earnings to the gaushala in the form of rent for keeping cows there," Jain added.
As soon as the decision for bringing cows in the gaushala was finalized, people came forward with donations. Funds for purchasing 21 cows at the rate of Rs 40,000 each has already been collected. The Minister and Collector have also donated Rs 40,000 each for the purpose.
A member of the Trust, Rajesh Pandey, who is associated with the gaushala, said that at present the Rewa town comes under Jabalpur Dairy Federation and to introduce dairy federation in Rewa, the milk production needs to be 5,000 litre per day. However, at present Rewa produces only 1,700 litre milk per day. The Gir cow gives 8 to 10 litre milk per day. This way, by keeping 30 Gir cows in the gaushala would certainly help increase milk production of the town.
Pandey said that the man behind the movement is Rajendra Shukla, with whose efforts the gaushala was started in the year 2009. Now, every citizen of the town is serious towards protecting cows, he added.
As the gaushala meant, that only those cows that stop producing milk are kept, the problem of keeping old age cows is not financially lucrative for farmers and villagers as they have to provide for fodder and avoid damages caused to forest areas when animals are taken for feeding in jungles.
Collector Jain and many elders said encouraging farmers to conserve cow when she stops producing milk is a big challenge. Farmers feed cow until she produces milk, but when she stops producing milk, he hands it over to butcher out of financial compulsions.
"Farmers love cows, but expenses incurred to feed her when she stops producing milk is a concern. Hence, we are thinking upon how jungles around villages can be utilised in this regard," a government functionary said suggesting Narendra Modi government to include cultivating grass in forest areas under MNREGA and make it available to farmers in neighbouring villages without charging for it.