Uttar Pradesh to Train 10,000 Gen Z Youth as "Gau Mitras" Under New Cow Protection Drive

THE UTTAR PRADESH GOVERNMENT has announced its plan to train 10,000 youths including Gen Zs as part of its cow protection drive, and to employ them as “Gau Mitras,” i.e. friends of cows. Announcing the initiative on Sunday, August 16, 2026, the state government stated that this decision was taken with the aim of sensitizing the younger generation towards cow protection and developing a self-reliance model by linking it with the rural economy, natural farming, women’s empowerment, green energy, and employment.

What Is The "Gau Mitra" Initiative? 

As per an official government statement, campaigns aimed to engage younger generations — particularly Gen Z — in cow protection and cow service will be organized at village level. 10,000 Gau Mitras will be trained for this purpose, with a chain-level hierarchy in place wherein “master trainers” will be coached, who will then subsequently train others.

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“The Yogi government is now preparing to involve the new generation, particularly Gen Z, in its cow protection campaign across Uttar Pradesh. Through village-level campaigns, young people will be made aware of cow protection, cow service, and its social and economic significance. Around 10,000 ‘Gau Mitras’ will be prepared for this purpose. Master trainers will first be trained, who will subsequently train others. Preference will be given to people who already have an interest in cow protection and cow service,” the official statement read.

In addition to the “Gau Mitra” initiative, the Yogi-led administration is also working towards developing a “self-reliant” model that links cow protection with the local economy. 

“Alongside this, the Yogi government is working to develop a self-reliance model by linking cow protection with the rural economy, natural farming, women’s empowerment, green energy and employment,” the official statement by the UP government further stated. 

Go Seva Aayog Chairman Shyam Bihari Gupta on “Gau Mitra” Initiative

Shyam Bihari Gupta, Chairman of Uttar Pradesh’s Go Seva Aayog, commended the Yogi government’s decision to prioritize cow protection and services in state policies. “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has included cow protection among the government’s priorities. The government’s effort is to ensure that cow protection does not remain limited to cow shelters, but also creates new opportunities for employment and rural prosperity. With this vision, cow shelters are being linked with economic activities based on cow dung and urine, natural farming, biogas and other enterprises,” Gupta said.

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The chairman further remarked that this initiative will place emphasis on conveying youth and children with the practice of cow protection. “Through campaigns in villages, they will be informed about indigenous cattle breeds, cow service, natural farming and the importance of cows to the rural economy. The objective is to ensure that the new generation also understands the environmental and economic aspects of cow protection,” he continued.

At present, Uttar Pradesh is undertaking a large-scale campaign to protect and care for stray and destitute cattle. More than 7,500 cow shelters have been established across the State, providing shelter to over 1.2 million cattle. The State government has also raised the financial assistance for their upkeep, increasing the daily allocation per animal from ₹30 to ₹50. CCTV surveillance has also been installed at most cow shelters to monitor their management and security.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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