Lok Sabha Question No. 3253 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Research Programme on Indigenous Cow
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Ravneet Singh, Anumula Revanth Reddy, Uttam Kumar Nalamada Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3253 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13/03/2020

## RESEARCH PROGRAMME ON INDIGENOUS COW

3253. SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU: SHRI ANUMULA REVANTH REDDY: SHRI UTTAM KUMAR REDDY NALAMADA:

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any proposal for research on cow urine and in order to verify its effectiveness in curing diseases or its uses and if $o, the details thereof; dung
- (b the details of the research units, departments and Ministries and foreign institutions to be involved in this research programme;
- whether it is a fact that start-upS working in the field of by-products like bovine and urine are eligible for funding by Government and if s0, the details thereof along with the funds allocated for the purpose and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether there has been any past research in this regard and if the outcome thereof; SO,
- (e whether the Government has taken cognizance  of the   appeal of several Indian scientists to the Government to withdraw funding from the research to use COw urine and milk for medicinal purposes and if SO, the details thereof; and dung,
- the reasons stated by those opposing the funding of such research and the reasons stated by the Government for continuing it?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) & (b): Yes, Sir.
- Ministry of Science & Technology (S&T) has taken an initiative to launch a National Program on "Scientific Utilization through Research Augmentation-Prime Products from Indigenous Cows: SUTRA-PIC India Program as a collaborative program of Department of Science & Technology (DST); Department of Biotechnology (DBT), & Industrial Research  (CSIR), Indian Councilof Medical

- Research (ICMR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR); Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and Ministry of AYUSH:
- DST is the nodal  implementing  department;  while, IIT Delhi the Coordinating Institute, and 50 networked scientific Quality Control labs based on their capacity for the work:
- This coordinated program aims to work towards convergence of   expertise, resources and funds to   meet common objective Scientific   research on prime products and its application in health,  agriculture, nutrition etc:  It  provides a platform to take research towards its logical conclusion with scientific validation and certification of utility products.
- In this endeavor, project proposals have been invited through call on DST's website from scientists/ academicians from Research Institutions, Academics, S&T capable voluntary organizations (NGO's) active in India to carry out R&D work, technology development linked to capacity building at local level covering following thematic areas which also include research component on cow urine and dung in order to verify its effectiveness in curing diseases or its uses:Open
2. Scientific research Prime-products from indigenous cows for medicine and health; agricultural applications; food and nutrition and for indigenous Cows based utility items.
- Scientific research on uniqueness of Indigenous Cows:
- (c) Start-ups working in the field of by-products like bovine and urine may also apply for  funding in collaboration with research institutions/S&T  capable NGOs proposed program: Estimated  funding of the program by Government for three years period works out to Rs. 98 Crores.
- (d) Council of Scientific Industrial Research(CSIR) through its constituent laboratories,  namely CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CSIRCIMAP), Lucknow and CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) Nagpur, and ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar have conducted basic research various biological activities of cow urine, while, CSIR-CIMAP has carried out research on the bio-enhancing properties of distillate of cow urine (Kamdhenu Ark) o anti-infective and anti-cancer agents. In these experiments, it was found that the cow urine distillate at very low concentration enhanced the activity of Rifampicin and Ampicillin against Gramnegative and Gram-positive the   activity of  anticancer Taxol (Paclitaxel) was also found to be enhanced in the presence of this cow urine distillate. Three international patents have been granted. drug

Besides, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of AYUSH has conducted 4 scientific   study (safety/  toxicity and biological  activity) PanchgavyaGhrita, an Ayurvedic formulation in which Cow urine is one of the ingredients. (e) & (f): The Government has taken cognizance of the appeal of Indian scientists opposing funding of such research: Concerted   efforts are made to fund and support important research programs/projects, both in basic and research to benefit the society at large. In this process, it is equally important to encourage research on our ancient science and belief with   scientific validation which have been neglected so far: In this  regard SUTRA-PIC program has been evolved through multi-stakeholders consultative process to study our own system and validate and improve: applied

Reasons stated by those opposing the funding of such research under proposed SUTRA-PIC program, and the reasons by the Government for continuing it may be seen at Annexure L

| Concerns raised by Indian Scientists to withdraw funding from the research to use Cow dung; urine & milk for medicinal purposes                                                                                                                  | Reasons for continuing SUTRA-PIC program by the Government                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 'Unique' and *special' qualities of Indian cows (not clear which particular breed)                                                                                                                                                               | Multifarious reasons. are disease resistance, heat and drought tolerance, adaptive to local conditions, source of clean energy, draft power (save fossil fuel +GHG), human nutrition, gainful livelihoods (rural based bio economy) and for organic agriculture: Source of high-quality Milk with  80% A2 type casein which is reported to protect from various diseases, which also need to be validated. Indian Indigenous cattle are reported to be robust and resilient: In this   endeavour, modern   scientific methods like metagenomic and proteogenomic studies will be used for understanding the genome of indigenous varieties and decoding them for gene specific action. Such scientific study is extremely important for    conservation of biodiversity and development of the indigenous cattle as well They key                                      |
| Cow product-based treatments for a range of exotic disorders proposed in the call, seems to be relatively modern like cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, hyperlipidaemia which were not known to writers of the ancient texts.                    | not correct to  say that diseases mentioned do not exist in ancient   time,  these were called by different names. The ancient texts of India are written in Sanskrit which is different from English. cancer is mentioned as karkarog; TB as kshayrog and diabetes as madhumeh: The symptoms and cure of many diseases are given in our texts and mention the use of cow urine and dung: This needs to be validated with modern scientific technology else a big component of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and For instance, a recent Noble Prize has been given for a study on fasting, it is claimed that   fasting kills cancer cells. Fasting is tradition in our culture: Thus, we must appreciate that Ayurveda system of research is different than allopathic way, and therefore, we need to appreciate that Indian system should also adequate being So, they get |
| Scientific basis of presumption of special physiological status to select breeds of only one species. Thus, encouraging non-fair comparison with other breeds of cows around the world other bovine   species within India. The document is full | attention and carein_the interest of society and nature: The projects invited under various themes and the discussions held in reference to it clearly mentioned the   comparison between indigenous, hybrid and exotic cattle; which will be taken care by the Expert group of the program as well while evaluating the proposals- based on scientific merits.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| of statements prefaced by is believed'. Science cannot presume_the                                                                                                                                                                               | Science surely start all the   experiments for validation with a hypothesis and then nullify or validate it several techniques. In this case of SUTRA program, the hypothesis is already proven in an era when the texts were written. only need to be tested with the modern scientific_technologies_Many modern diseases have using They                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

| validity of beliefs, however commonly held:                                                                                                               | found their cure in our traditional medicine system and it needs to be proven scientifically for the people who wish to practice it: Basically, through SUTRA program; efforts will be directed to study what is believed in our ancient texts. This knowledge has not been captured in   published   literature   available,  therefore, use of the words believe"_ Further, the way Traditional Chinese medicine is making a strong outreach for itself in the world,   similarly, Ayurveda has the potential of finding its acceptance in Global health Care system. "we                                                                                                      |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Inadequate funding and delayed funding of several important research projects and young researchers, respectively. DST actively canvassing this           | As such Government make concerted efforts to fund and support important research projects and young researchers as well, both in basic and research to benefit the society at large: In this process, it is also equally important to encourage research on our ancient science and belief with scientific validation which has been neglected far, which is being attempted here in proposed SUTRA - PIC program evolved through multi-stakeholders consultative process. applied                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| proposal: Whether  the initiative is a genuine open - ended inquiry into agenda-driven program.                                                           | SUTRA PIC program is open ended to achieve the given objective, which will be evaluated by group of experts in the relevant field. The program is an outcome of extensive brainstorming among the different stakeholders including R&D institutions /departments like CSIR, DBT, DST, IITs, AYUSH, MNRE, ICAR etc. and field based developmental   agencies. After several rigorous meetings and discussions, the program was conceived and evolved for identified thematic areas of interventions through inter-ministerial funding:                                                                                                                                            |
| is the focus only on cows? not other herbivores   such as camels goats- traditional medicine systems also mention products from other herbivores: Why Why | There are specific designated ICAR centres for research on other herbivores. For time, there has been no specific  centre for indigenous cows: The research and valuable information which is validated   scientifically is   already done for other animals. While,   present focus on Indigenous cows which are in   large numbers, kept by the   greatest   number of   families   and is   least skewed distributed resource among small and large farmers: positive research output will impact livelihoods, malnutrition, rural migration of large population for socio-economic transformation of rural sector and ultimately to benefit society at large: long being Any |
| CSIR, AYUSH and DBT have professed ignorance about the program:                                                                                           | had been a party to all the discussions including the National Steering Committee (NSC) constituted by DST for the program: They                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |