Lucknow, Oct 24 (TIWN) Besides being used in making dung cakes, fertilizer and bio-gas, cow dung is also generating employment in Uttar Pradesh.

The Yogi Adityanath-government is running a 'Gau Sanrakshan Abhiyan' (Cow protection campaign) in the state, under which 5.21 lakh cows out of around 11.84 lakh stray cows have been given shelter. The government is running a total of 4,500 temporary stray cows shelters.

Some 187 large cow conservation centres have been built in the rural areas. In the urban areas, 400 cow protection centres have been established in the name of Kanha Goshala and Kanha Upavan. Under this scheme, the BioVed Agricultural Technology and Science Research Institute, Shringverpur in Prayagraj district, is imparting training to prepare cow dung products.

Apart from UP, people from other states have got training at the institute to prepare cow dung products. They are also trained in making wood out of dung which is called 'Gokashth'. This especially prepared wood burns longer. Currently, 'Gokashth' is being used in Agra Jail for various purposes on a large scale.