Govt sets up panel on studying role of cow urine and dung in curing diseases

Central panel on studying role of cow urine and dung in curing diseases to meet next month

NEW DELHI: A central panel, set up in April to study the role of cow urine and dung in curing diseases and scientific validation of uniqueness of indigenous cows, is likely to have its first meeting next month when it would assign various projects to concerned ministries and institutions.

The panel, headed by science and technology minister Harsh Vardhan, will evaluate the role of ' Panchagavya ' - a concoction of cow urine mixed with cow dung, milk, curd, and ghee - in four broad areas like medicine, products for agriculture applications, food and nutrition and utility products.

Besides eminent scientists like former CSIR director general R A Mashelkar on board, the panel also has members from RSS and VHP-linked organizations. The tenure of this panel will be for a period of three years.

"Though the panel - National Steering Committee (NSC) - has been constituted long ago, it could not meet so far due to one or the other important engagements of its members", said V K Vijay of the Centre for Rural Development and Technology (CRDT), IIT-Delhi. He is one of the members of this 19-member panel.

Amid indication of its first meeting sometime next month, Vijay told TOI on Sunday that the Committee would function as an apex body for guiding a national program on "Scientific Validation and Research on Panchgavya " (SVAROP).

Govt sets up panel including RSS, VHP members for research on benefits of cow

The TOI had in February reported the government's plan to have such committee. The panel includes Chancellor of the Nalanda University in Bihar Vijay P Bhatkar, IIT-Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao and secretaries of the departments of science & technology, biotechnology, and renewable energy.

Other members include A Jaykumar of Vigyan Bharti, an RSS-linked body, and Sunil Mansinghka of the VHP-linked Go Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra which has long been involved in research on cow urine and cow dung.

The multi-disciplinary national program will involve the participation of different ministries and voluntary organizations to carry out Research & Development (R&D) on ' Panchgavya '.

According to terms of reference of the NSC, the panel will formulate and recommend delivery mechanisms and value-chain for the widespread application of R&D outcomes. It will also select and assign various projects to the concerned ministry\department\ institution which have been screened by a national working group, formed by the IIT-Delhi.

The idea to evaluate the role of ' Panchgavya ' was first discussed when scientists from across the country floated the proposal at a workshop, organized by the IIT, in December 2016.