Raipur: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai, the Chhattisgarh government is set to launch the Audham Yojana to strengthen the rural economy and give a new direction to livestock protection. This ambitious initiative will not only promote livestock safety and breed improvement but will also open up new employment opportunities in villages through organic farming, fodder development, and cow-based industries.
The scheme has been designed in such a way that it ensures the care of stray and abandoned cattle, while also providing a stable source of regular income to cowherds and cattle attendants, thereby bringing economic stability and self-reliance to rural life. The draft of the Gaudham Yojana has already been approved by the Finance and Livestock Development Department.
The Gaudham Yojana aims to ensure the scientific conservation and enhancement of cattle breeds, promote cow-based products, encourage fodder development programmes, develop Gaudhams as training centres, generate rural employment, and prevent crop damage as well as loss of life and livestock in accidents.
Special focus on curbing illegal trafficking and ensuring safety of stray cattle
The Livestock Development Department has designed this scheme keeping in mind the safety of cattle seized during illegal transportation or smuggling, as well as stray cattle. The state already has a ban on illegal trafficking and transportation of animals. Large numbers of cattle are seized by police during anti-smuggling operations along interstate borders. The scheme is being launched to ensure a safe shelter for such cattle. Each Gaudham will be able to house a maximum of 200 cattle, depending on capacity.
Under the Gaudham Yojana, cowherds will receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 10,916, while cattle attendants will get Rs 13,126 per month. Additionally, a fixed daily allowance will be provided for cattle fodder. Outstanding Gaudhams will receive daily per-animal payments, Rs 10 in the first year, Rs 20 in the second year, Rs 30 in the third year, and Rs 35 in the fourth year. The budget, rules, and conditions for the scheme have been finalised to ensure smooth implementation.
CM Sai: “Gaudham Yojana will protect livestock and generate jobs in villages”
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said the Gaudham Yojana will ensure livestock safety in the state while providing a regular source of income to a large number of cowherds and cattle attendants. He added that breed improvement efforts will help cattle produce more milk and make them more useful for agriculture. The scheme will also accelerate organic farming and fodder development programmes, thereby creating more rural employment opportunities and strengthening the village economy.
Selection of suitable government land for setting up Gaudhams
Gaudhams will be established only on government land with secure fencing, cattle sheds, adequate water supply, and electricity. In Gaothans where infrastructure already exists, adjoining pastureland will be allotted for green fodder cultivation. If a registered cowshed committee in the vicinity declines to operate a Gaudham, other voluntary organisations, NGOs, trusts, farmer producer companies, or cooperative societies will be eligible to apply for its operation.
Gaudhams will be set up based on proposals from district administrations and will be distinct from registered cowsheds. In the first phase, Gaudhams will be established in rural areas located along major national highways in Chhattisgarh. The district-level committee will study all applications comparatively and forward the name of the selected organisation to the Chhattisgarh State Cow Service Commission. After approval, an agreement will be signed between the Commission and the organisation, following which the organisation will take over Gaudham operations.
No dung procurement; fodder development to be promoted
There will be no dung procurement in Gaudhams. Cowherds will utilise the dung themselves. Only stray and abandoned cattle will be kept in Gaudhams, where they will be scientifically conserved and protected. Priority will be given to cowsheds for managing Gaudhams. Committees of registered cowsheds, voluntary organisations, NGOs, trusts, farmer producer companies, and cooperative societies registered with the State Cow Service Commission will be eligible to operate Gaudhams. Payments will be made based on the number of animals housed in each Gaudham.
Financial assistance will also be provided for fodder development on land adjoining Gaudhams, Rs 47,000 per acre for fodder cultivation, and Rs 2,85,000 for five acres.
Gaudhams to double up as training centres and promote cow-based products
Each Gaudham will also be developed as a training centre. The managing committee or organisation will train villagers in cow-based products and encourage cow-based farming. They will also provide training for the production of cow dung and cow urine-based items such as vermicompost, pest repellents, cow wood, gonoil, lamps, tooth powder, and incense sticks, and help market them.
The Gaudham Yojana is not only a concrete step towards livestock protection but also a means of bringing economic strength and self-reliance to rural life. By joining this scheme, rural communities will gain access to modern techniques and scientific methods in animal husbandry, while increasing their income through the production and marketing of cow-based products. In the coming years, the Gaudham Yojana is expected to play a pivotal role in making Chhattisgarh a leading state in the fields of livestock conservation and rural development.
