GORAKHPUR: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath performed Govardhan Puja in Gorakhpur on Monday and highlighted the importance of cow protection and welfare, describing the cow as central to India’s agricultural and sage-led traditions.Addressing the gathering, Adityanath said the cow was not merely an animal but a symbol of prosperity and an integral part of India’s traditional way of life.“Today is Govardhan Puja. In a nation like India, a land deeply rooted in both agricultural and sage-led traditions, the cow serves as its very soul. Just now, a ceremony for the worship of cows has been concluded here on the occasion of Govardhan Puja. The cow is not merely an animal; it is an invaluable gift in this world, a veritable treasure trove of prosperity. In any tradition where sincere efforts are made toward the protection and nurturing of cows, happiness and prosperity will naturally follow.”The chief minister said the state government had established more than 7,700 cow shelters, which currently house over 16 lakh destitute cattle. He also outlined three government schemes aimed at their protection and care.He said, “To uphold this tradition, we in Uttar Pradesh have launched an innovative initiative for the protection and care of destitute cattle through more than 7,700 cow shelters, which currently house over 16 lakh such animals. The state government is currently running three types of schemes. The first involves government-operated shelters for destitute cattle.”Explaining the second initiative, Adityanath said farmers could take cattle from government shelters and receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 per cow for their upkeep. Under the scheme, a farmer can take care of up to four cows and receive an additional monthly income of Rs 6,000.Yogi said, “The second is a sahbhagita yojana, under which any farmer can take a cow from a government shelter and care for it; for this, we provide a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 per cow. A farmer is permitted to care for up to four cows, meaning they can earn an additional monthly income of Rs 6,000 by looking after these animals.”He also spoke about a scheme under which families suffering from malnutrition are provided with lactating cows from shelters to ensure access to milk. The beneficiaries also receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 per cow.“Under another scheme, families suffering from malnutrition are provided with a lactating cow sourced from shelters for destitute cattle to ensure access to milk; additionally, a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 is provided for each cow,” he said.Adityanath said the initiatives were aimed at ensuring proper care for destitute cattle while preventing them from roaming on roads and damaging farmers’ crops.“The underlying objective is simple: to ensure that cattle do not roam the streets or damage farmers’ crops, and instead are cared for in a safe environment,” Yogi added.
