The Uttar Pradesh government has begun a pilot project in Bulandshahr to purchase cow urine from farmers and cattle owners, creating an additional source of income for rural households while putting ageing and non-milking cattle to productive use.
The initiative, being implemented across 15 villages, involves procuring cow urine at Rs 10 per litre. Officials say the collected material is expected to be used as an input in agriculture and could potentially reduce dependence on chemical-based products.
If the pilot delivers the expected results, the state government is considering expanding the programme to other parts of Uttar Pradesh through dedicated collection and procurement centres.
The project is currently being coordinated through a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) led by Dr Praveen in Narsaina village under the Syana tehsil of Bulandshahr.
Around 500 litres of cow urine are reportedly being collected every day from the participating villages. Storage tanks with a capacity of 200 litres have been installed at various collection points to facilitate the process.
The government is also examining the possibility of increasing the purchase price from Rs 10 to Rs 20 per litre. Such a revision could make the initiative more attractive to farmers and cattle owners and potentially increase participation.
Apart from generating an additional source of revenue, officials see the project as a way of making better use of cattle that no longer produce milk but continue to require food and maintenance.
Women from participating villages have been given an important role in collecting cow urine. They receive Rs 2 per litre as a commission for the collection work, providing an additional earning opportunity within the rural economy.
Around 300 women are said to have joined the initiative in its initial phase. They have also been made shareholders in the venture, giving them a stake in the project beyond their collection-related earnings.
Depending on the volume collected and how extensively the programme expands, officials expect some participating women could potentially earn as much as Rs 2 lakh annually.
The government hopes the model can combine agricultural use, cattle management and rural employment, particularly for women who are already involved in livestock-related activities.
For now, the procurement programme remains limited to the 15 villages selected for the Bulandshahr pilot. Authorities will assess the results before deciding whether to turn it into a broader state policy.
If expanded, the programme could involve establishing dedicated procurement and collection infrastructure in additional districts. The government believes a larger network could create another income channel for farmers while providing a steady supply of cow urine for agricultural applications.
The proposal comes amid wider efforts to promote alternatives to chemical-intensive farming. Officials are exploring whether cow urine collected through the programme can be effectively processed and used as an agricultural input.
The initiative has also triggered political criticism, with the Samajwadi Party questioning the government's motives behind the programme.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Mohammad Azam Khan described the procurement drive as a "scam" and alleged that it was being used to generate funds ahead of elections. He also questioned the condition of cow shelters and the protection available to cattle housed there.
The opposition leader argued that the programme would not translate into meaningful development if basic facilities for cattle remained inadequate.
The Uttar Pradesh government, meanwhile, is proceeding with the Bulandshahr pilot as authorities assess whether the model can become a sustainable source of income for farmers and rural women while giving an economic purpose to ageing cattle.
