Lok Sabha Question No. 3423 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Cow Shelters
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Ganesh Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA

WRITTEN QUESTION NO: 3423 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST  MARCH, 2023

## COW SHELTERS

3423:  SHRI GANESH SINGH:

## Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  largest  cow  shelter  in  the  country  is operating  in  Barsana  village  of  Vrindavan  district  in  Uttar  Pradesh  where  there  are  60 thousand 'Gauvansh';
- (b) the number of cow shelters in the country along with the number of cows (Gauvansh) being reared therein and State-wise;
- (c) whether the Government is encouraging farmers to use cow dung for natural farming and also considering to provide some subsidy to run cow shelters;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to collect fodder from villages through Mahatma Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  in  order  to  provide fodder for Gauvansh of cow shelters; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## HONORABLE MINISTER FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## ( SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a)  Yes,  Sir.  As  per  information  received  from  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh  Sri  Mataji Gaushala is situated in Bersana, Vrindavan, Mathura and having around 35000 cow progenies conserved presently.
- (b) As per basic animal husbandry statistics, total number of gaushala in the country is 7676 number. The state-wise detailed list of gaushala is attached.  The data regarding number of cows in those gaushalas are not maintained.
- (c) The Government is encouraging the farmers to use cow dung in order to promote organic farming. In this regard the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing the Scheme Paramparagat Krishi Vikash Yojna (PKVY). There is no provision for subsidy to run cow shelters under the scheme. However, the Animal Welfare Board of India is providing Grants  for  Veterinary  Care,  Fodder  and  shelters.  Further,  the  State  Governments  are  also providing assistance to Gaushalas for feed and fodder and shelters.

(d)  &  (e)  As  per  the  Article  246(3)  of  Constitution  of  India,  preservation,  protection  and improvement of stock and prevention of animal diseases; veterinary training and practice are under State list  for  which  the  States  have  exclusive  powers  to  make  laws.    As  per  Article 243(W)  of  Constitution  of  India,  the  local  bodies  are  responsible  for  cattle  pounds  and pinjrapole.  Therefore,  the  State  may  also  endow  panchayats  to  establish  and  run  Cattle Pounds  (Kanji  Houses)/  Gaushala  Shelters  (community  assets)  to  keep  stray  cattle.  Many States have established Gaushalas and Shelter houses for stray cattle and provide for feeding of those animals.

In view of the above mentioned constitutional provisions, the State is empowered to take  appropriate  action  on  stray  animals.  The  arrangement  of  feed  and  fodder  for  their animals in the state is the responsibility of the state. There is no proposal to collect fodder from  villages  through  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme (MGNREGS) in order to provide fodder for Gauvansh of cow shelters.

*****

## State-wise list of Gaushala in the country

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State            | Others   |
|-----------|------------------------------|----------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh               | 56       |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh            |          |
| 3         | Assam                        | 16       |
| 4         | Bihar                        | 87       |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh                 | 117      |
| 6         | Goa                          | 9        |
| 7         | Gujarat                      | 1418     |
| 8         | Haryana                      | 640      |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh             | 221      |
| 10        | Jammu &Kashmir               | 36       |
| 11        | Jharkhand                    | 31       |
| 12        | Karnataka                    | 220      |
| 13        | Kerala                       | -        |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh               | 905      |
| 15        | Maharashtra                  | 222      |
| 16        | Manipur                      |          |
| 17        | Meghalaya                    |          |
| 18        | Mizoram                      | Nil      |
| 19        | Nagaland                     | -        |
| 20        | Odisha                       | 93       |
| 21        | Punjab                       | 447      |
| 22        | Rajasthan                    | 2269     |
| 23        | Sikkim                       | -        |
| 24        | Tamil Nadu                   | 75       |
| 25        | Telangana                    | 175      |
| 26        | Tripura                      |          |
| 27        | Uttarakhand                  | 34       |
| 28        | Uttar Pradesh                | 582      |
| 29        | West Bengal                  |          |
| 30        | A &NIslands*                 | -        |
| 31        | Chandigarh                   | 3        |
| 32        | Ladakh                       | 0        |
| 33        | D. &N. Haveli and Daman &Diu | 6        |
| 34        | Delhi                        | 4        |
| 35        | Lakshadweep                  | 0        |
| 36        | Puducherry*                  | -        |
| All India | All India                    | 7676     |

Source: State/UTs Animal Husbandry Department