The Centre is planning to implement measures and checks to stop smuggling of cows, for better upkeep of the animal and to increase its productivity across the country, reported PTI. During a day-long seminar on ‘gauvansh’ (cow clan) and ‘gaushalas’ (cow sheds) on Monday, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said the government is looking into ways to conserve the animal, which according to them is the backbone of Indian economy.

The Union ministers said the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre will create exclusive dairy plants for Indian breed or 'desi' cows and will provide fodder under the MGNREGA scheme. “The protection of the grazing land for cows is the most important subject. We are working on a new scheme and proposal for which we will also write to all states. The plan is to keep some land in the periphery of jungles for producing healthy and quality grass for cows and we can do this under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. We can then provide this grass as fodder for cows to farmers and others like ‘gaushalas’ for free,” Javadekar said in Delhi.

He said the government will also approach the state animal welfare boards to take strict action against anyone found smuggling cows. The Union minister said the boards will be soon asked to take stock of the situation in their respective states and submit a report to the ministry in a month or two.