India’s first cow sanctuary has stopped admitting cows

• India’s first cow sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh has refused to take in more cows since it lacks funds and cadre.
  
• The funds that Animal Husbandry Department gives to this sanctuary gets entirely used up for the cattle fodder.
  
• If the sanctuary does not receive enough funds, it might be given away to an NGO that believes in “selfless services”.
  

India’s first cow sanctuary or Kamdhenu Gau Abhayaranya in Madhya Pradesh has refused to take in more cows since it lacks funds and cadre. It opened up in September last year, however, just five months after that in February, it put out this decision. The sanctuary is of 472 hectares and is located in Salaria village, in Agar district. Another such sanctuary is expected to open up in Rajasthan soon.

The plan was to admit 6,000 cows in its 24 sheds. However, the sanctuary has around 4,120 cows presently.

The recurring cost of the sanctuary is ₹10 crores however the money it receives from Animal Husbandry Department is about ₹5 crore which gets entirely used up for the cattle fodder. After the inauguration, there was a proposal of ₹22 crore for the sanctuary however, it was not accepted by the ministry. Another proposal revised it to ₹14 crore which was also rejected.

There is absolutely no other source of income as the cows they shelter are either old or sick and do not give enough milk. Besides that, it was meant to promote pesticides and medicines derived from cow dung and cow urine.

Currently, there are just three biogas plants set up in the field to provide electricity. A few machines have also arrived in the sanctuary to extract the essence of cow urine.

And a couple of experts from Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, occasionally visit the sanctuary.

A finance department officer had asked the Madhya Pradesh Gau Samvardhan board, set up for cow protection, to raise money from donations to keep the sanctuary going.

Besides that, the animal husbandry Minister has spoken to the chief minister of the state for money, who says that the funds will be released soon.

If nothing works out, the sanctuary might get handed over to an NGO. Currently, Madhya Pradesh Gau Samvardhan Executive Council is looking for an NGO which believes in “selfless services”.

The sanctuary has two veterinary doctors and six assistant veterinary field officers to take care of the cows. Labourers are hired as and when required. The mortality stands at 10%, which is common. Even the best dairy farms report a 3% according to a government veterinary officer.