Chandigarh: The Haryana BJP government is planning to establish “PG hostels for cows and buffaloes” in all its major towns and the pilot project might be started in Hisar.

According to Om Prakash Dhankar, State Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister, the government would set up “PG hostels” on 50-100 acres land in major towns in Haryana for cattle, in order to aid people living in these urban areas to rear cows and produce milk.

Explaining the idea, Dhankar said, “If someone is living on a 10th floor apartment, one should not be deprived of cow milk and the joy of rearing a cow. With this facility, anyone living in a city can also rear their own cows. Moreover these hostels would also help those who wish to do ‘gau seva’ for their religious rights.”

Haryana Gau Seva Aayog Chairman, Bhani Ram Mangla has meanwhile claimed that the proposal to start cow hostels was originally made by Gau Seva Aayog.

He said, “There is a slight change in what we had proposed earlier. We had proposed hostels for cows, but the government wants it both for cows and buffaloes. In fact, we came up with the idea of a ‘hostel’ and the government has given it the name of a PG hostel.”

However, Dhankar refutes the Gau Seva Aayog claim saying, “Gau Seva Ayog wanted to start pashu awas near villages and not for urban people. But this initiative will have PG hostels developed near cities on 50-100 acre land.”

Dhankar also said that they might start from “Hisar as there is enough space available there” and added that people in Nangal Chaudhary are also willing to give space to the government for the initiative.

Meanwhile, INLD leader Abhay Chautala mocked the initiative and said, “We had only heard of PG for people. Isn’t it bizarre for cows to stay in PGs? Here, human beings do not have a place to stay and they’re planning to have PG accommodations for cows. It is just a publicity stunt.”

Besides PG hostels, the government is also organizing a three-day Haryana Swarna Jayanti Cattle Fair at Jhajjar between October 27 and 29, to boost cattle population in Haryana.

About 2,500 of these animals are expected to be seen at the fair along with 15,000 farmers every day. Owners of best cattle would be given prizes worth Rs 9 crore.