Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Encouraged by the response to Gaumaya Ganesha Campaign, which encouraged usage of eco-friendly material in manufacture of idols for the Ganesha Festival based on the appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) has started a nation wide campaign to celebrate “Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan” this year on the occasion of Deepawali festival.
Through this campaign, the RKA is promoting extensive use of cow-dung/ Panchgavya products during this Diwali Festival. Manufacture of Cow dung based Diyas, Candles, Dhoop, Agarbatti, Shubh-Labh, Swastik, Samrani, Hardboard, Wall-piece, Paper-weight, Havan samagri, Idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi for this year’s Diwali festival has already started.
RKA aims reaching 11 crore families to ignite 33 crore Diyas made of cow-dung during this year’s Deepawali festival. The feedback received so far is very encouraging and approximately 3 lakh Diyas will be ignited in the holy city of Ayodhya alone, 1 lakh Diyas will be lit in holy city of Varanasi.
Apart from generating business opportunities to thousands of cow-based entrepreneurs / farmers/ women entrepreneurs, the use of cow-dung products will lead to cleaner and healthier environment. It will help in making Gaushalas ‘Atma Nirbhar’ too. By providing an environment friendly alternative to Chinese made Diyas, the campaign will boost up Make in India vision and mission of Prime Minister i Narendra Modi and also promote ‘Swadeshi’ movement while reducing environmental damage.
RKA has been interacting with various stakeholders through a series of webinars to focus and promote use of cow-dung in manufacture of items that can be used in this year’s Deepawali. It has enhanced its presence through its representatives in every district across all States for the campaign to motivate and facilitate production of Kamdhenu Deepawali related items in Gaushalas all over the country along with nationwide marketing plan.
Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) has been constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny and for giving direction to the cattle development programmes. RKA is high powered permanent body to formulate policy and to provide direction to the implementation of schemes related to cattle so as to give more emphasis on livelihood generation, according to a PIB release.
Livestock economy sustains nearly 73 million households in rural areas. Even though, the country is largest producer of milk, the average milk yield in India is only 50% of the world average. The low productivity is largely due to deterioration in genetic stock, poor nutrition and unscientific management. The trend needs to be reversed and popular perception about cow and cow based agriculture and cow based industry need to be corrected immediately for social and economic rejuvenation of society particularly poor in rural areas.