How Unique Products Made With Cow-Dung are Elevating Rural Economy In Chhattisgarh

The unutilized cow dung is procured by the state from the livestock owners & villagers. This has opened various employment generation trade activities & the potential to boost the rural economy. Under the scheme of “Gaudhan Nyay Yojana” which was launched last year, the Bhupesh Baghel government is buying cow dung at Rs2 per kg.

The utility of cattle dung besides producing the massive vermin compost manures has now been much diversified while creating the different varieties of useful products. Ahead of the festival seasons, hundreds of women, who run the Self Help Group (SHGs), have got the orders to supply lakhs of eco-friendly Diya (Earthen Lamps) besides some other utility products made out of cow dung to the different cities of the country.

Below Are The Unique Cow Dung Products:

The different cow dung products include:-

• Different sizes of colorful Diwali Diyas (Earthen Lamps).

• Ideals of Ganesha & Goddess Lakshmi.

• Name Plates.

• Mobile & Candle Stand.

• Flower Pots.

• Key Chains.

• Incensed Sticks.

• Herbal Gulal for the Holi Festival.

These products are being prepared at Gauthan (Cattle Shed Premises), which the State Government intends to develop as a Rural Industrial Parks in different districts.

Various Products Made Through Value Addition on Cow Dung

Besides different types of vermicompost, now there are various innovative products being made through the value addition on cow dung.

Recently, there was a project about Power Generation from Cow Dung, which was inaugurated in various Gauthan Units. Around 5% of dung is used to make the different products & the rest of them are returned to the soil as organic manure.

“Novel initiative on buying cow dung & covering it into vermicompost & other useful products in Chhattisgarh helped the revitalize rural economy, especially the women SHGs, who have secured an income of Rs 46 crore from unique scheme. This move has emerged as a good source of livelihood in the villages” said Kamalpreet Singh, Agriculture Production Commissioner.

“All different quality products that are being prepared in Gauthan would be standardized & the efforts will be put for a sale on e-commerce market & online shopping. To begin, these would be available with single branch name at Chhattisgarh C-Mart stores (Selling Chhattisgarh products under one roof)” revealed Bhartidasan S, the State Nodal Officer of ‘Garuva- Narva- Ghuruva- Badi’.

In Chhattisgarh, out of 7202 Gauthans, there are nearly 2000 where a group of women is seen engaged in multi-activities. Some are preparing a thick malleable blend of dung with added natural binding mixture of powdered herbs, tamarind, etc, while the other group mould the dung into different shapes & colors of diyas.