Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) has been constituted by the resolution dated 21st February, 2019 to organize animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take steps for preserving and improving breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle.
The Aayog is a high powered permanent apex advisory body with the mandate to help the Central Government to develop appropriate programmes for conservation, sustainable development and genetic up-gradation of Indigenous breeds of cows.
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The Aayog will review existing laws, policies as well as suggest measures for optimum economic utilization of cow wealth for enhanced production and productivity, leading to higher farm income and better quality of life for the dairy farmers. It also aims at transmission and application of improved technology and management practices at the farmers’ doorstep through coordination with dairy cooperatives, farmer producer companies and dairy industry as well as research institutions. Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will function as an integral part of Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
Why is Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog needed?
Livestock economy sustains nearly 73 million households in rural areas. Even though, the country is the largest producer of milk, the average milk yield in India is only 50% of the world average.
The low productivity is largely due to deterioration in genetic stock, poor nutrition and unscientific management. The trend needs to be reversed and popular perception about the cow and cow-based agriculture and cow-based industry need to be corrected immediately for social and economic rejuvenation of society particularly poor in rural areas.
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Aim of the RKA
- To conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny and for giving direction to the cattle development programmes.
- To develop indigenous breeds of the cattle and buffalo and not organised any scientifically breeding in the country.
- To facilitate the policy and direction to the cattle conservation and development programmes in the country.
Atma Nirbhar Bharat and RKA
The Cow-centric economy can also help in achieving the Atma Nirbhar Bharat goal by making its own humble contribution. For this purpose, Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog has been consistently endeavouring to increase the use of various cow- panchgavya products to raise the income of farmers, gaupalaks, youth, women, self-help groups and other stakeholders.
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RKA aims to reach 11 crore families to ignite 33 crore Diyas made of cow-dung during this year’s Deepawali festival. The feedback received so far is very encouraging and approximately 3 lakh Diyas will be ignited in the holy city of Ayodhya alone, 1 lakh Diyas will be lit in the holy city of Varanasi. Apart from generating business opportunities to thousands of cow-based entrepreneurs/farmers/ women entrepreneurs, the use of cow-dung products will lead to a cleaner and healthier environment. It will help in making Gaushalas Atma Nirbhar too. By providing an environmentally friendly alternative to Chinese made Diyas, the campaign will boost up Make in India vision and also promote swadeshi movement while reducing environmental damage.
Recently, the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog had launched a nation-wide campaign on various platforms of social media to use eco-friendly material in the manufacture of idols of Lord Ganesha for this. It generated considerable interest in various stakeholders like dairy farmers / unemployed youth/women and young entrepreneurs / Gaushalas/ Gopalaks / Self Help Groups etc.
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