Lucknow, March 7 The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to install biogas plants in over 300 cow shelters across the state, linking livestock protection with modern technology and rural employment, according to an official statement.
The initiative will use cow dung and cow urine to produce clean energy, organic manure, and other by-products. Officials said the project aims to create employment opportunities in rural areas while strengthening efforts to protect cows.
Shyam Bihari Gupta, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Gau Seva Ayog (Cow Welfare Commission), said the project aims to connect "Gau Sanrakshan" (cow protection) with a self-reliant rural economy through a scientific approach.
According to the statement, the project is being led by Yashraj Gupta, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, who partnered with a team of engineers to develop technology-driven solutions for cow shelters.
Gupta recently met Ayog officials in the Jalaun district with four colleagues to finalize the implementation strategy. Officials said Gupta left a software job to work on the project aimed at promoting a cow-based rural economy. He said that effective application of modern technology to cow-based resources can significantly boost rural incomes and contribute to sustainable development, the statement said.
The project will be implemented initially in cow shelters in the Jalaun district. The biogas plants there will produce organic manure, bio-CNG, and electricity. After successful implementation, the model will be expanded to over 300 shelters across Uttar Pradesh.
The project will also promote the "Panchagavya value chain," involving products derived from cow urine, dung, milk, curd, and ghee for industrial use and marketing, it said.
Shyam Bihari Gupta said the government wants cow shelters to evolve into centres for livestock protection as well as energy and organic manure production. This transition is expected to generate employment and increase incomes of farmers in rural areas.