Karnataka minister makes a ‘moo’t point, says it costs Rs 70/day for cow care

How much does it cost to look after a cow? Rs 70 per day, only.

This was Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan’s written reply to a question raised in the Assembly.

The government spends Rs 70 a day on cows that are housed in goshalas or cattle sheds across the state, he said. “As per NDRF norms, the maintenance cost for each cattle is fixed at Rs 70 per day. Of this, the state government provides 25%, that is Rs 17.50 per cattle. The remaining 75% or Rs 52.50 is borne by the goshala,” Chauhan said.

This was Chauhan’s reply to Indi MLA Yashvanthrayagouda Patil, who also asked specifically if the cost fixed is enough.

“Since the maintenance cost for cattle is fixed at Rs 70 per day as per NDRF (national disaster relief fund) norms, this amount will be enough,” Chauhan said. However, Chauhan stated that the government is also examining a proposal to hike the per-day cost to Rs 82.50. Farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar laughed when he came to know about the minister’s answer. “It’s bizarre. It costs minimum Rs 150 a day to take care of a cow,” he said.

“The maintenance cost depends on the type of cow. But, Rs 70 is not at all enough considering fodder, daily washing, medicines and other expenses.”

The government’s rate does little to assuage the fear caused by the new Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act that came into effect earlier this year. It imposes a blanket ban on the slaughter of cows in the state, forcing farmers to either take care of cows even after they become barren, or simply abandon them.

The only slaughter allowed is of terminally-ill cattle. Also, buffalo above the age of 13 years can be slaughtered with permission. The government has asked farmers to leave the animals at any of the 190 private goshalas.

It has also promised to construct shelters, one each in all the districts, by earmarking Rs 15 crore in the 2021-22 budget. The project is “in progress,” Chauhan said.

Karnataka has 190 private goshalas that house 32,547 cattle. Of them, 139 goshalas have been granted Rs 2.79 crore till November-end.

“No farmer is ready to domesticate male cattle,” Belur MLA K S Lingesh said in the House.

“I don’t have a single goshala in my taluk. There are two private ones in Arsikere. They request us to bring only grass-eating cows, not ones that drink milk,” he said, adding that the law was brought without any preparation.

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