DINDIGUL: For the first time, milch cows, calves and bulls at the ‘goshala’ maintained by Dhandayuthapaniswamy Temple in Palani will facilitate the economic uplift of members of self-help groups (SHG) — mostly poor rural women — in Oddanchatram, Palani and Thoppampatti blocks in the district.
The temple administration has started distributing these domestic animals to SHGs free of cost.
The temple administration has laid only one condition: the recipient has to give an undertaking that the animals will not be sold by her or her relatives under any circumstances.
Signing of this agreement will fetch each SHG woman a cow and a calf or a bull.
While the bulls will be utilised for insemination, cows will produce milk for them. They could sell the dung to farmers for preparing organic manure. The dung could also be used to manufacture vermi-compost, a value- added product that will fetch more income to the beneficiary.
Handing over the cows and bulls to SHG members at Purulur on Thursday, Collector M. Valallar said that the women must take good care of the animals. Pilgrims have offered these animals to the temple as offering.The temple administration had offered 291 cows and bulls to the SHGs in these blocks.