New Delhi: The Rajasthan government will felicitate people who adopt stray cows on Republic and Independence days.
According to the Indian Express, the directorate of gopalan, which is in-charge of the welfare of cows, has issued an order to all district collectors to felicitate all “charitable and sensitive citizens” who have adopted stray cows on Independence and Republic days. The order was issued by the newly elected Congress government on December 28.
Rajasthan became the first state government to have a ‘cow minister’ under the BJP. Pramod Bhaya has been made the state’s cow minister by the Congress.
The order directs district collectors to “motivate the public, charitable people, administrative officials and social workers to adopt stray cows and to address the issue during meetings held for public welfare”.
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“Whoever wants to adopt cows can deposit a specific amount decided by local gaushalas and can visit the cow shelters any time to see the animals. If a sensitive person wants to keep a stray cow at his home to look after it, he can adopt it,” the order says, according to an Indian Express report.
Citizens can adopt cows after submitting an application to the district collector, joint director of the animal husbandry department, information and public relations department or sub divisional officers. The cows will be tagged by officials of the animal husbandry department.
Anil Kaushik, joint director (planning) of department of gopalan said the order is mean to motivate “charitable people” to adopt stray cows and send them to cow shelters. “As a result of this, the income of cow shelters will also increase and it will also ensure effective upkeep and maintenance of the animals,” he told the Indian Express.