Sehore (Madhya Pradesh): Stray cattle have remained a problem in Sehore district for many years and they also damaged crops in rural areas and caused many road accidents. The Gaushala Scheme implemented by government to protect cows seems to have failed due to lack of funds. In last three years, construction of 48 cowsheds was approved in different gram panchayats of the district but they are still incomplete.
Presently, 15 cowsheds are being run in the district, primarily by self-help groups. In 2020-21, the total number of approved cow shelters was 48. Six have not been started, three are at foundation level, four are up to wall-level, 18 are up to roof deck. Only 13 have been completed.
Cowsheds are being constructed under MNREGA and construction is stuck due to lack of funds. The other reason is that sarpanchs have changed in many gram panchayats while many panchayat secretaries have been transferred.
MNREGA Officer, District Panchayat, Sehore, Pramod Tripathi, said, “Construction of cow shelters is going on in panchayats. Some problem arises due to lack of funds. A demand letter of Rs 5 crore has been written to MNREGA Commissioner Madhya Pradesh.”
