Cow safaris: UP govt’s new plan for better safety, upkeep of stray cattle

New Delhi, Dec 08: Faced with stray cattle menace, the Uttar Pradesh government plans to set up 'cow safaris' in the state for better safety and upkeep of the animal.

The idea mooted by UP Animal and Husbandry minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary is in line with the Yogi government's aim of cow protection.

"The Yogi government is vigilant towards cow protection and it is our duty to save and secure them," Chaudhary said.

"Wherever we have large farms like in Barabanki and Maharajganj, we on an experimental basis, want to set up a safari where 15,000 to 25,000 cows can be put up," he said, adding, he wants to make such safaris viable by setting up bio gas plants for power generation and units to make things from cow waste.

"There are complaints about stray cattle moving about in villages and I have brought it to the notice of the chief minister," he said.

Cow safaris will initially come up on a pilot basis. "Having so many cows at one place and with better upkeep facilities, we are also thinking of developing it for tourism. Like people go to see safaris of other animals we can make arrangements for tourists to come and see cow safaris," he said.

"By putting cows at one place, if it is given the name of safari, there is no harm. People could come and have darshan," he said. The Yogi government has taken a number of steps towards cow protection.

In August this year, the government has approved 'Mukhyamantri Nirashrit Besahara Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana', a scheme seeking people's participation in the protection of stray cattle by providing Rs 30 per animal every day.

Earlier, the Yogi Adityanath government had made arrangements for cow shelters in this year's budget and also instructed district administrations and municipal corporations to make arrangements for cow shelters to resolve the issue of stray cattle.

The state government also issued an order allowing corporate houses to use corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to provide facilities for abandoned cows in rural areas.