To provide succor to the widows struggling to survive and to push up the volume of milk production in the State, the Harish Rawat Government is all set to launch Ganga Gai Yojna (Ganga and Cow Scheme) on September 5, the birthday of the Congress stalwart GB Pant.
The State Government is going to distribute 50 cows each in all 13 districts. In the first leg of the project, the State Government would distribute such cows to the widows who are finding it hard to survive.
“Cows can bring about development in the villages. We have envisaged a plan to distribute upto 500 cows in each of the districts in the coming days. As planned, 75 percent of the spends would be borne by the State Government and the rest would be given to the recipients by way of loan to be given through cooperative banks” Chief Minister Harish Rawat said on Friday after launching a social security insurance scheme in Dehradun.
He further said that he has allocated `2 crore by way of paying premiums from the Chief Minister’s relief fund (CMRF). He said he would later submit a proposal before the cabinet for the payment of their annual premium through budgetary
allocation.
CM Rawat further said that on September 5, he would distribute five cows among the needy widows in Raipur Assembly constituency of Dehradun district. “ The cabinet ministers in-charge will distribute cows in their respective districts,” he said.
With the dairy
department working on the project, things would be fixed up as to which breed of cows would be distributed among the recipients. He further said that Nariyal village of Champawat district is
being developed as a
breeding centre.
He further said that as Jersy variety is giving lesser milk over the years the breeding centre is now engaged in producing a better breed. “We want to ensure that the widows get consistent source of income,” CM said.
“As of now, we are going to distribute 50 cows in each of the district. But the goal is to distribute up to 500 cows among widows and the
distressed. Initially, the
distressed widow would be given cows. later, we will modify the norms as per the requirement to involve more,” he said.
“To avoid any hiccups, we have roped in cooperative bank. They will give loan upto 25 percent and remaining 75 percent will be paid by the State Government as grant,” he said.
CM Rawat further said that the State Government would celebrate GB Pant birthday as Gaurav Diwas (Pride Day) on September 5. “We have received a proposal to have a suitable place earmarked to be built into a place of pride (gaurav sthal) in Bhawali,” he said.
“Meanwhile, we have constituted a committee headed by Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal. The committee will decide the place. Besides, it would fix up the place where GB Pant’s statue would be installed. The likely places are either the Vidhan Sabha premises in Dehradun or the premises of the upcoming Vidhan Sabha at Gairsain,” CM said.