PANAJI
"Ban on cow slaughter exists in 24 states in the country and Goa is one among them. I do agree that the cow can become a burden on the farmer particularly when dairy is considered as a business. We have already come out with a Stray Cattle Management Scheme. I don't mind implementing a similar scheme for individual dairy farmers wherein once his cow becomes unproductive, he will not feel the burden. I will come out with a scheme to support the farmer for feeding that cow till death," he assured.
He was responding to a senior Congress leader who sought to know whether the government intends to take care of old dairy animals like cows that are not able to produce milk and are of no use to the farmers as there is a ban on slaughter of cows.
"What do we do with these cattle? I myself have this problem wherein I have 84 milking cows. All farmers are facing similar problem. What do I do with the cow when it becomes old?" he questioned.
Responding, Chief Minister said that within the next three months he would formulate a scheme.
"Give me three-four months. I will definitely work out a mechanism so that the farmer does not get suffer loss because of male calf or old cows. Government believes in ban on cow slaughter. We are sincerely with it. So we will provide support for its maintenance," he said.
"If one considers cows, there are two things, sentiments and economics. When the cow yields milk, it is the economics. The cost of cow is recovered during the milking period. Additionally, the farmer earns profit and Goa is the only state which provides Rs 10 per litre as subsidy," he pointed out.
"Once the cow stops yielding milk, it becomes a burden on the farmer. I will work out a scheme wherein the cow which has already paid for itself can be sustained till death," he said.
