Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday alleged that the BJP did only cow politics while the Congress built cowsheds and worked for cow welfare in the state. To solve the problem of destitute animals, the state government has decided to increase the grant given to private cow shelters from Rs 700 to Rs 1,200 per month, CM Sukhu said in a statement issued here. Apart from this, a state-level task force will be formed to deal with the problem of stray cows in the state, he said. This force will give suggestions with regard to keeping these stray cows in cow sanctuaries and cowsheds after consultation with farmers and local communities, Sukhu said, adding that provision for this initiative has been made in the budget for the financial year 2024-25. He added that the present Congress government in the state has taken various effective steps to strengthen the rural economy so that the standard of living of the people in the villages can be improved. The BJP has only done politics in the name of cow whereas the present Congress government (in Himachal Pradesh) has made many schemes for the welfare of cows and cowherds, the CM said in the statement. Sukhu claimed that as 90 per cent of Himachal Pradeshs population lives in villages, the state government is focused on making policies and launching programmes that will strengthen their economic status. The chief minister said that an artificial insemination training centre will be established at Darlaghat in Solan district to provide best breed animals to the cattle rearers. He added that the Congress-led state government will ensure fair prices for milk products to farmers. Sukhu said that with the aim of developing skills related to animal husbandry among the youth of the state, new skill training programmes will be started through the Himachal Pradesh Skill Development Corporation. An additional plant with a capacity of 50,000 litres per day (LPD) is being started in the milk processing plant in Duttnagar in Shimla district. Milk processing plants with modern technology are being established in Una and Hamirpur on which approximately Rs 50 crore will be spent, CM Sukhu said.

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