Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In a function held at Krushi Bhavan in Bhubaneswar today, the Odisha Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department released Rs. 8.11 crore as assistance to 59 Goshalas of the state. As the chief guest of the occasion, Minister of Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Ranendra Pratap Swain expressed how dedicated our beloved Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is to animal welfare.
Assistance for registered Goshalas in the state is given by the state government at a cost of Rs 20,000 per adult cattle unit annually. From Rs. 16,000 per Adult Cattle Unit, it was increased. The state government is offering funding of Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 52 lakhs for the upkeep of 50 to 150 animals, respectively, for the establishment of new Goshalas. In relation to this, 27 “Go Ahead” letters have been sent out thus far. The Minister further stated that the state government would continue to support animal welfare organizations in their efforts to improve the lives of stray and abandoned animals, working toward animal welfare under the capable direction of the Chief Minister.
Suresh Kumar Vashishth, Principal Secretary, F&ARD, has directed attention towards the recently launched “Vermicompost-Godhan Kendra” program, which was implemented by the state government to address waste management in Goshalas and dairy units. The waste materials produced by cows—urine and dung—will now be used to create vermicompost, a biofertilizer, which will help dairy farmers and goshalas survive financially. This scheme offers a fifty percent subsidy up to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakh. Ramashis Hazra, the director of animal husbandry and veterinary services, gave the welcome speech, and departmental officers and Goshalas employees were in attendance.
