Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh’s Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development, Dharampal Singh, reviewed the latest status of cow shelters (Gaushalas) across the state at his office in the Vidhan Bhavan and issued strict instructions to officials to ensure adequate arrangements for protecting cattle from the cold.
The minister directed that sufficient provisions such as tarpaulins, bonfires, and other winter-protection measures be put in place at all cow shelters to prevent any loss of cattle due to cold conditions. He emphasized that no cattle death should occur due to negligence during the winter season. Veterinary officers were instructed to regularly visit cow shelters to ensure proper health monitoring, medical treatment, and availability of medicines. District-level nodal officers were also asked to conduct routine inspections to ensure adequate arrangements for fodder, dry feed, drinking water, lighting, and overall maintenance.
Reviewing the budget of the Livestock and Dairy Development Department, Singh instructed officials to ensure 100 percent utilization of the allocated funds and to submit utilization certificates to the government on time. He categorically stated that no portion of the budget should be surrendered and warned of strict action against officers showing negligence or apathy in the implementation of schemes. The minister further directed that all infrastructure-related works be completed by February 26, with executing agencies ensuring construction strictly as per approved layouts and prescribed standards.
He stressed that infrastructure projects must adhere to quality norms, and construction of large cow protection centres should be completed within the stipulated timeline. Facilities such as cattle sheds, drinking water troughs, paved pathways, and other essential structures should be built in a durable and systematic manner. Immediate corrective action must be taken at cow shelters where mismanagement or complaints regarding cattle care are reported.
Dharampal Singh reiterated that the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is firmly committed to the protection and welfare of stray and destitute cattle. He said that the establishment of cow protection centres should be completed on a priority basis, with close coordination between the Rural Development Department and other allied departments to ensure effective implementation.
The minister also directed Dairy Development officials to further strengthen the marketing of Parag products and ensure that product quality is maintained without any compromise.
During the meeting, Principal Secretary, Livestock and Dairy Development, Mukesh Meshram, apprised the minister of the current progress of departmental schemes and assured him that all directives would be strictly complied with. He also instructed departmental officers to ensure adequate winter protection and other essential facilities at cow shelters, maintain quality standards in infrastructure works, and ensure optimal utilization of allocated funds across all schemes.
The meeting was attended by Managing Director, PCDF, Shri Vaibhav Shrivastava, Director (Administration and Development), Animal Husbandry Department, Dr. Mem Pal Singh, Director (Disease Control and Farms) Dr. Rajendra Prasad, along with other senior officials of the Livestock and Dairy Development Department.
