Kamdhenu Diwali campaign launched

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) The government on Sunday launched the 'Kamdhenu Deepawali 2021' campaign that will facilitate manufacture and marketing of more than 100 crore cow-dung based earthen lamps and Laxmi-Ganesh idols.

Former cabinet minister and former chairman of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog, Vallabhbhai Kathiria, and Fisheries & Animal Husbandry Minister Parshottam Rupala launched the campaign during a webinar, which also saw the launch of training programme for Kamdhenu Deepawali campaign for all states.

"Kamdhenu Deepawali is to empower cow owners with economic use of cow dung, cow urine and dairy products such as milks, curd and ghee. More than 300 items can be prepared using Panch Gavya from Cow. This includes Deepawali items such as diyas and lamps, candles, havan samagri, dhoop batti, incense sticks, hard board, wall pieces, Laxmi-Ganesh idols etc. made entirely of cow dung," a release from the Animal Husbandry Department said.

The Gomaya (cow dung) lamps made by cow entrepreneurs and cow owners will save the environment by providing eco-friendly alternative to chemical-based Chinese lights. Last year, crores of cow dung deepak, lamps were manufactured across India.

"Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog provided training along with many volunteer organizations across India. This gave rise to large number of cow dung based start-ups. This time the campaign is committed to take the initiative to higher levels. Cow entrepreneurs across India will get benefitted by this campaign. This eco-friendly campaign will also help Gaushalas to become self-sustainable. This will empower Prime Minister's vision of 'StartUp India', 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat' too.

Kathiria said, "We have generated interest of farmers, unemployed, Self Help Groups, youth and women entrepreneurs in cow dung based Start Ups through various national campaigns. Result is visible through so many Start Ups of Panchgavya products today."

Young entrepreneur from Uttarakhand Neeraj Chowdhary demonstrated during the webinar how to make cow dung-based lamps and Laxmi-Ganesh idols within a minute. He also exhibited wide range of cow dung based products and also talked about the training program that his organization is providing for cow dung based products.

Rupala informed that he is planning to promote cow dung made logs in place of wooden logs during cremation. He informed that the Ministry is working on adding cows in every Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) across India and making them as demonstration units as well as training centre for cow entrepreneurship.

Rupala also suggested, "The way we promote Khadi products around Gandhi Jayanti, in same way we should come up with a designated days around Deepawali when all should be encouraged to buy Gomaya products across India."

Convenor, All India GauSeva activities, Ajit Prasad Mahapatra encouraged everyone to start using Panchgavya products made up of cow dung in some form in our daily life and in every moments of celebration, the release added.