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Chattisgarh govt launches scheme to develop cow sheds as rural industrial parks
Around 300 gauthan cum industrial parks will be set up in Chhattisgarh under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Parks (MGRIP) scheme
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday launched a new scheme to develop ‘gauthans’ (cow shelters) as rural industrial parks for livelihood generation.
Officials said that around 300 gauthan cum industrial parks will be set up under the scheme named Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Parks (MGRIP). A total budget of ₹600 crore has been pooled in the current financial year’s budget.
The state government has set up gauthans in over 8,000 villages under its flagship scheme Suraji Gaon Yojna (village good governance scheme).
Cow dung procurement is being carried out in these gauthans at ₹2 per kilogram under Godhan Nyay Yojna and the dung is being used to prepare vermi-compost.
These same gauthans would now be used to promote activities like poultry farming, fisheries, along with food processing.
Speaking at another function titled ‘Gandhi Yuva Aur Naye Bharat Ki Chunautiya’ (Gandhi, Youth and Challenges of New India) marking the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the chief minister also emphasised on the need to channelise the energy of youth following the vision of the Father of the Nation encouraging them to become self-sufficient.
Talking to the audience, Baghel said that Mahatama Gandhi was assassinated by an ideology afraid of his efforts to ensure dignity to people from the backward sections.
The chief minister said that Gandhiji had high respect for labour. He worked to ensure dignity to workers, weavers, farmers among others. When the ideology which had enslaved them (workers and people from backward section) for thousands of years got to know that Gandhiji was pumping up their self-confidence, they got scared and killed him, he said.
“Gandhiji had said while we have got independence from the British, social and economic freedom is yet to be achieved. That process is still on. All the governments have made efforts (to empower the country socially and economically). I will not criticise anyone,” Baghel said.
There is an imminent need to channelise the energy of today’s youth in the right direction and this will require everybody’s support and collective efforts to empower them and give them opportunities, he said.
“As per Gandhiji’s vision, youth should become self-reliant. They should create self-employment with dedication and hard work,” Baghel said in the function attended by youngsters of the Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club.
