Chhattisgarh became the first state in the country to procure gaumutra (cow urine) at the rate of Rs 4 per litre on Thursday as part of an effort to promote organic farming in the state.

Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel launched the procurement of cow urine initiative on Thursday, on Hareli Tihaar (a festival to mark Shravan month), at the CM House in Raipur. He became the first gaumutra seller of the state by selling 5 litres of cow urine for Rs 20 to Nidhi self-help group of Chandkhuri.

On the request of Baghel, Nidhi self-help group deposited this amount of gaumutra sale in the account of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

At the grand Hareli celebration programme organised at the CM House, Baghel worshipped the agricultural equipment and tools, and prayed for the prosperity of the state.

The chief minister also distributed an incentive (bonus) amount of Rs 17 crore to 7,442 women self-help groups of the state, for producing organic fertilisers.

“Considering the multi-dimensional positive impact of Godhan Nyay Yojana, many states have started adopting this scheme. Under this scheme, people from all sections of society are selling cow dung in Gauthan at Rs 2 a kg. In the last two years, an amount of more than Rs 300 crore has been transferred to the accounts of cow dung vendors, Gauthan committees and women’s groups through Godhan Nyay Yojana. The Chhattisgarh government is committed to make the farmers and the agriculture sector of the state prosperous,” Baghel said while addressing the function. He added that the increased use of organic fertilisers and organic pesticides will reduce farming cost and also improve the quality of food.

“The Chhattisgarh government is the only government in the country that is procuring cow dung from the cattle rearers in rural areas of the state for the past two years. On the occasion of Hareli Tihaar, the government has officially commenced the procurement of gaumutra in Chhattisgarh, with the aim to promote animal husbandry and organic farming in the state. Dung procured under the scheme is being already utilised to produce organic manure and now the gaumutra procured at gauthans will be used to manufacture organic insecticides, Jeevamrut, growth promoters. This would not only promote organic farming but will also reduce the input cost of farming,” said a release issued by the Chhattisgarh government public relation department.

The Godhan Nyay Yojana was started in 2020, on the day of the Hareli festival. Under the scheme, cow dung is being purchased at Rs 2 per kg from the cattle rearing villagers.

“The motive is to improve the quality of food production and reduce the cost of farming. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and chemical pesticides in agriculture is destroying the nutritional value of food items and is also affecting the fertility of land. Now with the gaumutra procured in gauthans, women groups will produce organic pesticides, which will be made available to the farmers at a subsidised rate,” said a release.

The release further informed that agricultural scientists believe that cow urine is a better and cheaper alternative to insecticide, chemical insecticide. Its disease resistance is much higher than chemical insecticides.

It is worth mentioning that Gauthans have been built and are being operated in 8408 villages of the state, under the Garva component of Suraji Gaon Yojana. In these Gauthans, Over 76 lakh quintals of cow dung has been procured in past two years, in lieu of which an amount of more than Rs 153 crore has been paid to rural cattle farmers. Women groups have so far produced more than 22 lakh quintals of Vermicompost, Super Compost, Super Compost Plus from the dungs procured.