Madhya Pradesh's Bold Plan to Eradicate Stray Cattle by 2025

Madhya Pradesh plans to eliminate stray cattle on streets by 2025 with new cow shelters and enhanced management strategies, aiming to mitigate road accidents and agricultural damage. The government will implement self-reliant shelters to ensure better cattle management and employment opportunities, increasing daily maintenance grants from Rs 20 to Rs 40 per cow.

The Madhya Pradesh government has pledged to eliminate stray cattle from the state's streets within two years, addressing the growing concern over road accidents and crop damage. This commitment came after Congress MLAs highlighted the severity of the issue through a calling attention motion.

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Lakhan Patel responded, detailing the roles of local development departments in managing stray cattle and announcing the establishment of cow shelters across the state. Efforts include the operation of 3,040 shelters and collaboration with non-governmental organizations, moving 4.80 lakh stray cattle off the streets.

Under a new state policy, self-reliant cow shelters, including Kamadhenu Niwas, are planned with allocated land for cattle and commercial use. Maintenance grants for cattle in shelters will double, supporting the vision to create sustainable and commercially viable cow protection initiatives, as emphasized by speaker Narendra Singh Tomar.

(With inputs from agencies.)