BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) will manage the goshalas (cow shelters) to be set up by the State Government in every district.
The proposal to set up goshala in each district to prevent slaughter of cows and to conserve livestock was announced by BS Yediyurappa in the budget presented by him as chief minister earlier this year. Bommai was speaking after launching 11 new projects of the KMF, including two cattle feed production units in Dharwad and Tumakuru, a milk powder plant in Ramanagara, at Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds.
“Protecting cows is our ethical responsibility,” Bommai said, adding that KMF could afford to take up the responsibility and ensure the implementation of the anti-cow slaughter law practically by rescuing cows from being transported to slaughter houses.
“The government is committed to establishing goshalas in every district. KMF has all the logistics, including fodder manufacturing plants and veterinarians, to effectively manage the goshalas,” Bommai said, while suggesting to the KMF to prepare a project report in this regard.
“Since it is a sacred work, we should take it up under no-gain, no-loss formula and rescue the gomatha which we are indebted to. It will not only do good for us but also our children,” he added. Bommai also appreciated the KMF that has 130 milk byproducts to its credit and suggested that it should become the number one in the country by increasing milk production to 1 lakh litres a day and expanding its market as well. “I cannot promise a hike in incentive for producers as my predecessor Yediyurappa was generous by increasing it from Rs 2 per litre to Rs 5. But I will help the KMF which has taken an initiative to launch a cooperative bank of its own,” he said.
Bommai advised the milk producers’ unions of north Karnataka to take a leaf out of their counterparts in the southern part of the state in adopting novel technology as the milk produced in the Krishna belt---Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts--- is more rich in quality and can be marketed across the country. Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan, Cooperation Minister ST Somashekar and KMF Chairman Balachandra Jarkiholi were present.