Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met renowned spiritual Guru and founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bengaluru today and sought his blessings during a visit to the Ashram. The Chief Minister also interacted with people from Himachal Pradesh working at the Ashram, enquired about their wellbeing and participated in Gau Seva.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar held detailed discussions on promoting natural farming and ensuring the protection and welfare of stray cattle in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government is actively encouraging farmers across the state to adopt natural farming practices.
He said the government is providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops grown through natural farming methods, which is benefiting both farmers and consumers by ensuring better returns and promoting chemical-free produce. The Chief Minister further said that under the Gopal Yojana the state government has increased financial assistance for stray cattle housed in private cow shelters from Rs. 700 to Rs. 1,200 per cattle per month.
He said that several new measures for the rehabilitation and welfare of stray cattle have also been included in the State Budget 2026-27. The Chief Minister said that the state government has established several large cow shelters and cow sanctuaries in recent years.
He said that reputed voluntary organizations, NGOs and interested industrial groups will also be allowed to adopt government-run cow shelters and cow sanctuaries to further strengthen cattle welfare initiatives. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appreciated the efforts of the Himachal Pradesh Government towards promoting natural farming and improving the protection and welfare of cattle in the state.