RAIPUR: The unutilised disposable cow-dung procured by the Chhattisgarh government from livestock owners and villagers has opened up employment opportunities and has the potential to boost the rural economy. Various products are being prepared at Gauthans (cattle shed premises) and the state government will now develop them as rural industrial parks in different districts.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has launched ‘Gauthan Map’ (multi-activity and livelihood management) mobile app that will carry every detail on cow dung procurement, working of gauthan, outputs of self-help groups, infrastructure and the database of such cattle sheds set up across the state.
Under the scheme ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ launched last year, the state government is buying cow dung at Rs 2 per kg. Out of the 7,777 Gauthans, there are nearly 2,000 where groups of women are engaged in multi-activity.
In a Gauthan, massive vermicompost manures have been diversified, creating varieties of useful products from cow-dung. Ahead of Deepawali, hundreds of women SHGs got orders to supply lakhs of eco-friendly diva (earthen lamps) besides some other products made out of cow-dung to different cities of the country.
Along with the colourful Diwali diyas of different sizes, idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi, mobile & candle stands, name-plates, sleepers, key-chains, flower-pots, incense sticks, herbal Gulal for Holi festival among others are being supplied in bulk in markets. The process to make paints, pen, cement and bricks using cow-dung has already begun.
Besides three types of vermi-compost, various innovative products are being made through the value addition on cow-dung. Recently a project on power generation from cow-dung was inaugurated in various Gauthan units.