Uttar Pradesh minister for animal husbandry, milk development and political pension Dharampal Singh blamed the declining practice of cattle rearing for the rise of fake milk and adulterated dairy products in the market, and urged people to visit gaushalas regularly and celebrate their children’s birthdays there.
The minister was addressing a Dairy Conclave organised in Agra on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Dharampal Singh said that during previous governments, cows were under threat from those involved in cow slaughter, but the situation had changed under the present regime in Uttar Pradesh.
He also stressed the importance of traditional rural practices, saying, “Many in society are forgetting the taste of rotis cooked on traditional chullahs. While LPG cylinders have reached villages, there was still a need to understand the importance of gaushalas and gobar gas. Organic fertilisers need to be adopted by farmers.”
“Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has ensured the closure of slaughterhouses, yet the practice of cattle rearing is declining. This has resulted in markets being flooded with chemically prepared milk, fake paneer, ghee and mawa. The solution lies in rearing at least one cow in each house,” he added.
He appealed to farmers not to abandon cows and encouraged the formation of milk committees to ensure regular payments to dairy farmers.
The minister also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had provided 520 mobile veterinary vans. He said cattle owners could avail the service by dialling toll-free number 1962, following which a veterinary doctor and compounder would attend to sick cattle.
Dhan Lakshmi K, commissioner for dairy promotion, said Uttar Pradesh contributes 16% to the country’s milk production, while Agra and Aligarh divisions account for 2.5%. Agra district magistrate Manish Bansal was also present at the conclave.
During the conclave, officials said the dairy development department had organised the ‘Dugdh Swarn Mahotsav 2026’ in Lucknow on April 17 and 18 to mark the department’s 50 years. Around 10,000 people associated with milk production and cattle rearing participated in the event.
Officials said the Dairy Conclave initiative was aimed at promoting high-yield cattle breeds, encouraging investment in the dairy sector, creating awareness about the Milk Policy 2022 and supporting the state government’s target of building a one trillion-dollar economy through schemes such as the Nand Baba Milk Mission.
After conclaves in Meerut and Saharanpur divisions, the event for Agra and Aligarh divisions was organised at Rao Krishnapal Singh Auditorium of RBS College in Agra on Thursday.
