India’s first cow sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh to be privatised

Akshay Patra also runs Jaipur Municipal Corporation’s Hingonia cow shelter in outskirts of the pink city.

Updated on: Jul 8, 2019, 09:13:28 IST

Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By Shruti Tomar

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India’s first cow sanctuary, set up by the previous BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government in September 2017, will be privatised by the Congress-led government, an official said.

According to officials in the sanctuary, in last over one year more than 600 cows died due to extreme weather condition. (HT Photo)

Kamdhenu Gau Abhyaranya in Agar Malwa, 190 km north west of Bhopal, was developed by the MP Gau Samvardhan Board by spending about Rs 32 crore. Around 4,000 cows are living in the sanctuary which is spread across 472 hectares. The decision of privatisation is being taken due to financial crises. Soon, the department will issue a notification to invite interested organisations, said a higher officer of the Animal Husbandry department.

“The issues of poor management and regular deaths of cow in the sanctuary have been raised many times. The government tried to improve the facilities but it was getting hard to manage it. Some renowned NGOs like Akshaypatra showed interest in managing the sanctuary at no profit no loss basis. But we will hand over the sanctuary according to rules,” said the official.

According to officials in the sanctuary, in last over one year more than 600 cows died due to extreme weather condition.

Akshay Patra also runs Jaipur Municipal Corporation’s Hingonia cow shelter in outskirts of the pink city.

Confirming the news, minister of animal husbandry department Lakhan Singh Yadav said, “We want public participation. Here privatisation doesn’t mean to give the sanctuary to a company for making money but we want to allow a social or religious organisation to manage it and serve the cows. The well-qualified organisation knows that non-milch cows are also beneficial in many aspects...,” he added.

MP Gau Samvardhan Board former chairperson Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri said, “I support the decision as it is almost impossible for a government to run a sanctuary... Even, BJP-led state government was mulling over this idea”

However, BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, “The Congress-led state government is trying to shed the responsibility from every big project, which started by the previous BJP-led state government.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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