Lack of Funds Stalls Research in Cow-derivatives

The Centre’s ambitious scientific initiative SVAROP — aimed at validating research on cow-derivatives, including urine, and their benefits — has not made any headway even after two years as four of the five Ministries have not sanctioned funds, the convenor of the mission said.

V. K. Vijay, head of the Centre for Rural Development and Technology, IIT-Delhi, and the convenor of Scientific Validation and Research on Panchagavya (SVAROP), said of the ₹100 crores earmarked for the project, the Ministry of Science and Technology has sanctioned only ₹30 crores.

The four other Ministries involved in the project — Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Renewable Energy, Ayush Ministry and Ministry of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises — are yet to sanction their share of the money, Mr. Vijay said.

Under the programme, several projects proposals were invited for research. “The status is as it is. Nothing is progressing. Now that a new Ministry (Ministry for animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries) under Giriraj Singh is in place, I think they will start it,” he said. “We had (been earmarked) ₹100 crores. The DST has approved ₹30 crores but unless other Ministries release it (funds), they will not approve it. All ministries were to contribute equally. The S & T Ministry approved it but others didn’t,” Mr. Vijay said.

The Article is Extracted from The Hindu on August 11, 2019.