"Gau Mata is a symbol of Indian culture and faith," says Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra

New Delhi [India], October 24 (ANI): Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said on Friday that Gau Mata is a "symbol of Indian culture and faith", and the Delhi government is committed to protecting stray cattle.

He made the remarks after chairing a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat regarding the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the establishment, operation, and maintenance of a new Gaushala in Ghumanheda village, a release said.

The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner Shoorbir Singh, senior officials from the Animal Husbandry unit, NGOs such as ISKCON, Gopal Gau Sadan, and several other social organizations and stakeholders.

The meeting was organized by the Animal Husbandry unit of the Development Department.

During the meeting, important ideas were shared on the operation, maintenance, and self-sustainability of Gaushalas. On this occasion, Minister Kapil Mishra stated that the government will work sincerely in this direction. "All suggestions are welcome, as the main objective is to relocate stray cattle from the streets to a safe and clean environment"

He added that if Gaushalas become self-sustaining, they would serve as ideal examples for society and the environment, it said.

"In 1994, the Panchayat unit of the Development Department allotted land to the Animal Husbandry unit on a 99-year lease for the operation of Gaushalas. "At that time, five Gaushalas were established, of which four are currently functional. The license of the Acharya Sushil Muni Gaushala located in Ghumanheda was canceled due to violations of contractual terms and high cattle mortality. Now, this fifth Gaushala will be re-established under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model," the release added.

"The responsibility for establishing, operating, and maintaining the new Gaushala will be assigned to a selected NGO, trust, foundation, or corporate entity through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The land will be allocated on the basis of a license deed, and the selected organization will bear all expenses related to construction, operation, and maintenance. The initial tenure will be determined by the government and may be extended by another five years based on performance. The selected organization must ensure adequate resources and manpower for the establishment of the Gaushala within one year," it added.

"The selected entity will be fully responsible for the care, feeding, health, and supervision of stray cattle housed in the Gaushala. No financial assistance will be provided by the Animal Husbandry Unit or the Development Department in this process. Ownership of the property will remain with the Delhi Government, while the selected organization will only have operational rights based on the license deed. All legal disputes will fall under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Government," the release further added.

Speaking about this initiative, Kapil Mishra said that “Gau Mata is a symbol of Indian culture and faith. Bringing stray cattle off the streets and ensuring their safety in a secure environment is our government’s priority.”

He further added that this initiative will not only help make Delhi’s streets "free from stray animals" but also serve as a commendable step in the fields of animal welfare, environmental protection, and social responsibility, it added. (ANI)