New Delhi. Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India is implementing following schemes to expand dairy-based industries across the country including Bihar: – Rastriya Gokul Mission (RGM): – RGM scheme is being implemented for development and conservation of indigenous breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity of bovines. Under the scheme, since inception, Central assistance of Rs 260.79 crore has been released to Bihar including Gopalganj district.
National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD): NPDD scheme is being implemented to enhance quality of milk and milk products and increase share of organized milk procurement. Under the scheme, since inception, 29 projects have been approved in Bihar including Gopalganj district with the total outlay of Rs.380.43 crore including grant assistance of Rs.263.24 crore and loan amount of Rs.55.01 crore.
Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): AHIDF scheme aims for creation/ modernization of milk processing and value addition infrastructure, among others. Under the scheme, two dairy processing projects have been sanctioned in Bihar with total outlay of Rs.125.40 Crore including loan amount of Rs. 84.20 crore.
Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities (SDC & FPO): To provide support in the form of Interest subvention on working capital loans. Under the scheme, interest subvention of Rs. 3.22 Crore have been released to the Participating Agencies in Bihar.
In addition, Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation Limited (COMFED) has informed that A state-of-the-art dairy processing plant with capacity of 1 lakh liters per day with a total cost of Rs.53.64 crore has been approved in Gopalganj district of Bihar under SIDBI Cluster Development Fund (SCDF).
Due to various programmes/schemes/initiatives of State and Government of India, Milk Production in Bihar increased from 7.77 Million Tonnes in 2014-15 to 12.85 Million Tonnes in 2023-24.
In addition to DAHD’s schemes, Government has also extended Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facility to Animal Husbandry & dairy farmers for their working capital requirements
As per the Article 246(3) of Constitution of India, preservation, protection and improvement of stock and prevention of animal diseases; veterinary training and practice is a State subject. As per Article 243(W) of Constitution of India, the local bodies are responsible for cattle pounds and pinjrapole. Therefore, the State may also endow panchayats to establish and run Cattle Pounds (Kanji Houses)/ Gaushala Shelters (community assets) to keep stray cattle. Many States have established Gaushalas and Shelter houses for stray cattle and provide for feeding of those animals to overcome the problems of stray bovines. The Government of Haryana has informed that the following steps have been taken by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog:-
i) The Gaushalas in the State, which are primarily managed by NGOs, are providing food & shelter to stray cattle in the State. To strengthen these institutions, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying is providing financial assistance to the Gaushalas in the form of Grant-in-Aid for purchase of fodder.
As a result, the number of registered Gaushalas in the State has increased from 525 to 683, during the last five years.
ii) The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying started a special campaign for Rehabilitation of Stray Cattle in January, 2024. Till date, 36,641 stray cattle have been shifted to 194 Gaushalas. To encourage the Gaushalas to rehabilitate the stray cattle, an enhanced amount of grant for the fodder has been provided to these Gaushalas.
iii) To encourage the Gaushalas for rehabilitation of stray cattle, State Government constituted the Special Cow Protection Task Force (SCPTF) for every districts and a state level Special Cow Protection Task Force committee vide notification no. 2062(CFMS)–AH-4-2021/4633 dated 20.07.2021.
iv) The State Government established two Gau Abhayaran, each with a capacity to house 5000 cattle, in Village Nain (District Panipat) and Village Dhandoor (District Hisar) with an expenditure of Rs. 800.00 Lakh. Approximately, 5500 stray cattle have been rehabilitated in these Abhyaran so far.
The Central Government has not conducted an evaluation the effectiveness of the cow shelters. However, the Government of Haryana has reported Various measures that demonstrate the effectiveness of cow shelters and other initiatives for managing stray cattle as following:-
The number of cows housed in the Gaushalas has increased from 3,25,977 in December 2019 to 4,05,115 in December 2024.
The number of Gaushalas that have offered shelter and protection to cows has increased from 525 in December 2019 to 683 in December 2025.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has opened 14 Govt. Veterinary Hospitals and 12 Govt. Veterinary Dispensaries in various Gaushalas of the state for preservation, treatment and protection of cattle.
As a protective initiative of stray cattle, Govt. has started vigorous rehabilitation of stray cattle campaign in last year which is still going on. During this period 36,641 stray cattle has been rehabilitated in Gaushalas.
There has been large decrease in number of stray cattle in the state.
The Govt. has provided financial assistance for cow shelters and made provisions for financial grants for feed and fodder to the needed Gaushalas.
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