Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed the state authorities to chalk out a plan to impose tax on fodder for cows, which will help in the conservation of these animals, an official said on Friday.
The chief minister gave this direction while chairing a review meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Gaupalan Evam Pashudhan Samvardhan Board (MP Cow Rearing and Livestock Promotion Board) on Thursday.
"The chief minister said that a tax plan should be prepared for (procurement of) cow grass (fodder). Also, public participation should be encouraged for cow conservation," the official said.
At the meeting, the CM asked the officials to make special arrangements to increase the sale of cow products by launching a massive publicity campaign.
He said that phenyl made of cow urine should be used in government offices, an official statement said.
The chief minister said the Kamdhenu Gau Abhyaranya, a cow sanctuary in Agar Malwa, 190 km north-west of Bhopal, developed by the MP Gau Samvardhan Board, should be turned into a model for the country and made the best national level cow sanctuary.
Chouhan also said that the work of the development of gaushalas (cow shelters) in the state should be given to voluntary organisations.
"The work of gaushalas is synonymous to service. Voluntary organisations can develop gaushalas well...," the release quoted Chouhan as saying.
He directed the officials to provide grants to gaushalas run by non-government voluntary organisations.
Chouhan also called for special efforts to improve the breed of cows in the state and underlined the need for research to increase the production of milk in cows.
According to the 20th animal census of India conducted in 2019, there were more than 1.87 crore cows in the state, an official said.
