<![CDATA[Agra: The Uttar Pradesh government has now roped in prisoners to take care of cows. Following instructions from state jail minister Mr. Jaikumar Jaiki, prison officials have begun creating cow shelters inside those jail complexes which have space available. The convicts will take care of the cows, which will in turn provide milk for them as well as jail staff. In 2016, Haryana started setting up cow shelters in jails. In June this year, the UP jail minister began the process in the state as well, seeking information from all prisons in the state about the possibility of setting up gaushalas. Following this, jails sent information about available land in their premises where such shelters could be built. However, Agra’s district and central jails have had these ‘jail gaushalas’ for several years. The milk produced by cows in these shelters are supplied to jail staff at prices lower than in the market. Now, these jails will be upgraded, expanded and modernized so that prisoners too can be supplied milk, the Police officials told. “We have 18 cows in the gaushala, of which 10 produce milk. Members of the prisoners’ welfare committee take care of the animals. All the milk required by jail staff is being supplied by these cows alone. The staff gets milk at Rs 36 per litre, which is lower than the current market rate. Now, following orders from the state government, Agra Central Jail senior superintendent Sanjeev Tripathi. told "we are planning to develop this cow shelter further, so that prisoners too will get milk”. The Agra district jail has had a functional cow shelter for the last six years. Mr. Shashi Kant Mishra, Superintendent of district jail told “We now have more than 100 cattle, of which 22 produce milk. We got these cows through charitable organisations. The Prisoners’ welfare committee recovers the cost of operating the cow shelter by selling milk to jail staff at rates cheaper than in the market”. “We are in touch with charitable societies as well as social workers to increase the number of milk-producing cows, so that we can provide milk to prisoners also. Following instructions from state government officials, we are now planning to develop the cow shelter further, upgrade and modernize it,” Mr. Mishra added.]]>
