Launch Scheme For Procuring Cattle Dung Directly From Farmers: Standing Committee On Agriculture To Government

The Standing Committee on Agriculture has asked the Union government to launch a scheme for procurement of cattle dung directly from farmers, reports The Indian Express.

In a report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the committee cited the Chhattisgarh government’s cow dung procurement scheme — Godhan Nyay Yojana, and asked the Centre to launch a similar scheme for cattle dung procurement.

The Godhan Nyay Yojana was launched in July last year by the Chhattisgarh government. Under this, the state government procures cow dung at Rs 2 per kg from livestock owners, processes it into vermicompost and sells it back at Rs 8 per kg.

“The committee is of the view that procuring cattle dung directly from the farmers will not only augment their income and provide employment opportunity but also address the problem of stray cattle and promote organic farming in the country as the country has a vast cattle population,” said the report.

“The committee, therefore, recommends the department to initiate a scheme for procurement of cattle dung from farmers in coordination with Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying,” the report said, citing the Chhattisgarh’s scheme Godhan Nyaya Yojna.

BJP member Parvatagouda Chandanagouda Gaddigoudar, who headed the committee, had asked the Agriculture Ministry officials to start a scheme for buying cattle dung from farmers before making these recommendations.

The committee also said in the report that a large amount of funds, Rs 34,517.70 crore and Rs 17,849.89 crore, (tentative) was surrendered by the Agriculture Ministry during 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively which would “adversely affect implementation” of schemes.

There have been other attempts by the government to help farmers by utilising cattle dung. On 5 March, Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, had tweeted about cow dung-based paint, which was launched by Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

He shared a video of the preparation of cow dung paint and said, “I believe that farmers and youth living in the rural areas will benefit from this. It will prove to be very important to our rural economy. ”