Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan

Context 

Recently Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) started a nation- wide campaign to celebrate Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan on the occasion of Deepawali festival. Through this campaign, the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog is promoting extensive use of cow-dung/ Panchgavya products during this Diwali Festival. 

About Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan

• Through Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan, Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog is promoting extensive use of cow-dung/Panchgavya products during this diwali festival. 

• For this year's Diwali festival, the manufacturing 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 has already begun. 

• Apart from generating business opportunities for thousands of cow-based entrepreneurs/farmers, the use of cow-dung products would contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment. 

• It will also help in making Gaushalas ‘Atma Nirbhar’.

• The campaign will boost the ‘Make in India’ vision by providing an environmentally friendly alternative to Chinese made Diyas and will also promote ‘Swadeshi’ movement while reducing environmental damage.

• Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog aims reaching 11 crore families to ignite 33 crore Diyas made of cow-dung during this year’s Deepawali festival.

• Via a series of webinars, RKA interacted with various stakeholders to encourage the use of cow-dung in the manufacture of items that can be used in this year’s Deepawali. 

• Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog has also enhanced its presence through their representatives in every district across all states for the campaign to motivate and facilitate the production of Kamdhenu Deepawali related items in Gaushalas all over the country along with nationwide marketing plan. 

• To make the campaign of Kamdhenu Deepawali a grand success various segments of stakeholders like farmers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, Gaushalas and other concerned are being involved at large.

What is Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog?

• The resolution of 21 February 2019 constituted Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog to organise animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take measures to conserve and improve breeds and to prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle.

• It is a high-powered permanent apex advisory body with the mandate to assist the Central Government to develop appropriate programmes for conservation, sustainable development and genetic up-gradation of Indigenous breeds of cows.

• The Aayog will review existing laws, policies and will also suggest measures for optimum economic utilization of cow wealth for enhanced production and productivity, leading to higher farm income and better quality of life for the dairy farmers.

• It also aims at transmission and application of improved technology and management practices at the farmers’ doorstep through coordination with dairy cooperatives, farmer producer companies and dairy industry along with research institutions. 

• Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will operate as an integral part of Rashtriya Gokul Mission.

• The Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will also make provisions for solutions to the problems related to abandoned cows in the country by providing technical inputs to Gaushalas, Gosadans and pinjarapoles.

• RKA will work to create an enabling environment to attract investment for improving infrastructure supporting milk production, processing, value addition and marketing in the sector.