Government announces several schemes for cow welfare

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday said it has several schemes for cow welfare but does not have any current scheme for setting up new 'Gaushalas' or cow shelters.

The various schemes including Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Dairy Plan-I, Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme, Livestock Health and Disease Control, National Livestock Mission and Breed Improvement Institutes.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha members Ravindra Shyamnarayan and Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Fisheries, Dairying and Animal Husbandry Minister Giriraj Singh said the government through Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is implementing schemes namely for provision of shelter houses for looking after animals in distress, and the Animal Welfare Board of India Plan Scheme for maintaining the stray animals in distress and their treatment, and human education programmes for welfare of animals."

The minister said the Union government does not have any scheme for setting up new 'Gaushalas'.

Under the schemes, financial assistance is provided to NGOs and animal welfare organisations for establishment and maintenance of shelter houses.