Chhattisgarh will procure cow-dung at Rs 2 per/kg including transportation cost: State cabinet

Chhattisgarh cabinet on Tuesday approved the procurement of cow dung in the state at the rate of Rs 2 per kilogram, including the transportation cost, under the Gaudhan Nyay Yojana.

Earlier this month, a cabinet committee had recommended the procurement of cow dung at the rate of Rs 1.50 per kg from livestock owners in villages with cowsheds.

The cabinet meeting, which was chaired by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, also approved the selling of vermicompost produced under the scheme through cooperative societies to farmers at the rate of Rs 8 per kg.

The vermicompost will be under the goods section of the short-term agricultural loan of the Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Society.

Under the scheme, the cow dung will be procured from cow and buffalo owners through gauthan samitis and it will be utilised to make vermicompost and other products.

“This will not only promote organic farming but will also create new employment opportunities, encourage protection of cows, stop open grazing and will expand the double-crop area creating a source of extra income of livestock owners,” the government said in a press release.

The cabinet has also decided to merge the remaining batch of teachers (panchayat and urban body cadre), who have completed two years or more in service, under the school education department from November 1, 2020, which will benefit 16,278 teachers in the state.

It also decided to distribute 5kg of rice per person per month from July 2020 to November 2020 on ration cards (except above poverty line category) issued under the Chhattisgarh Food Security Act, the same way is provided under the National Food Security Act.

A kilo of chickpea will also be distributed to people for the same period under the same conditions.