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Chhattisgarh: CM Bhupesh Baghel launches cow urine procurement scheme
Officials said the scheme aims to minimise the use of expensive chemical pesticides and simultaneously promote organic farming
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday launched a scheme to procure cow urine, under which the state government will purchase bovine urine at a minimum rate of ₹4 per litre to manufacture fertilisers, among other things.
“After the successful implementation of the cow dung procurement scheme, the government has decided to purchase cow urine. The purchased urine will be used in making pest control products and ‘jeevamrut’ (liquid organic fertiliser),” Baghel said in Raipur after launching the scheme on the occasion of agriculture festival ‘hareli’.
Officials said the scheme aims to minimise the use of expensive chemical pesticides and simultaneously promote organic farming in the state by ensuring natural pesticides are available to farmers at nominal prices.
The Chhattisgarh government decided to purchase cow urine in February 2022, and formed a committee to decide the method of procurement and research on the whole scheme. The committee submitted a proposal in the first week of July, following which the state government fixed the procurement rates.
Also Read:Chhattisgarh: Government to soon buy cattle urine at ₹4 per litre from farmers
The urine will be procured through Gram Gauthan Samiti and fortnightly payments will be made to cattle owners and farmers.
Baghel had launched the ‘Gaudhan Nyay Yojana’ on June 25, 2020 claiming that there has been a tradition of open grazing in the state, which results in loss of crops. The government said stray cattle in cities cause road accidents, loss of life and property and the cows are abandoned after they stop giving milk. Hence, they decided to procure bovine dung from farmers and cattle owners to make cow rearing a profitable business.
Nearly two years later, the government said they procured huge amounts of cow dung to make vermicompost.
Officials also said that organic pesticides are already being manufactured at several ‘gauthans’ in the state and the government will also gradually institutionalise it.
