After dung, Chhattisgarh's Congress govt to use cow urine as fertiliser

After cow dung, the Chhattisgarh government is planning to use cow urine as an eco-friendly fertiliser.

 

The Congress government — led by Bhupesh Baghel — has said procurement of cow urine will commence during local festival Hareli, which is on July 28.

 

This plan is part of the Chhattisgarh government’s flagship scheme, the Godhan Nyay Yojana, which was launched two years ago.

 

About two months ago, Chief Minister Baghel had envisaged using cow urine for strengthening the rural economy and organic farming.

 

Accordingly, Chhattisgarh’s Kamdhenu University and Indira Gandhi Agriculture University conducted a study to assess the viability of value addition of cow urine.

Based on the report, the state Cabinet last week approved the proposal to procure cow urine. A seller will get a minimum price of Rs 4 for a litre.

 

According to Godhan Nyay Mission director Ayyaz Tamboli, two self-reliant ‘gauthans’ (livestock shelter) in each district would be authorised for the purchase.

 

The ‘gauthan’ would use its own resources and available funds for purchasing urine.

The district collectors have been asked to identify the two ‘gauthans’ and make necessary arrangements, Tamboli said.

 

The centres will be requiring instruments for measuring pH value and specific gravity of the urine.

 

Chhattisgarh has 33 districts, and hence, cow urine will be procured at 66 ‘gauthans’ across the state.

 

Officials estimate a collection of 100 litres of urine in each of the gauthans.

“Under the plan, two products from the cow urine would be launched in the state,” a senior official associated with the project said. One of them would be a crop booster and another, a pesticide.

The government plans to sell the fertiliser and pesticides manufactured from cow urine and dung through C-Mart — the state government-run store.