Cow belt

Cow Belt is a term often used to refer Indian States of Uttar Pradesh & Bihar. Sometimes they are also referred to as Hindu Belt.^[1][2][3]

History

The flat and fertile terrain of Ganges has facilitated the repeated rise and expansion of various empires, including the Gupta empire, Kanauj, Magadha, the Maurya Empire, Pala Empire the Mughal Empire and the Sultanate of Delhi - all of which had their demographic and political centers in the Indo-Gangetic plain. During the Islamic period, the Turkish, Afghan and Iranian rulers referred to this region as "Hindustan" (Land of the Hindus), deriving from the Persian term for the Indus River. This term was later used to refer to the whole of India but even into the modern era, the dialect of Hindi-Urdu spoken in this region is called Hindustani, a term which is also used for the local music and culture.^[4][5]

Both British and independent India also had their demographic and political centers here (first in Calcutta and then Delhi).

Cultural and Political Dominance

Most of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal consists of the vast Ganges plain, an area of flatness, which often floods dramatically during the monsoon. Often referred to as the Cow Belt, these States have been most dominant states in Indian politics and culture since Independence, producing over half of India's ministers.^{[citation needed]} This is partly because these are also the most populace states of the country and partly because the region plays a central role in the religious landscape of the Hindus.^[6] The Ganges River, which forms the backbone of the State, is the sacred river of Hinduism and two of Hinduism's most holy towns are in the state, namely Varanasi and Allahabad (Prayag) which is also one of the venues of the Kumbha Mela. In these states infrastructure, education and living standard is very poor.^[7] Despite the stronghold on politics these states failed in overall development.^[8][9]

Milk Production

Milk Procurement by Cooperatives In India During 2007-08

Northern States Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh — produce almost half of India's milk. But their share in total cooperative milk procurement is slightly over 17 per cent. In contrast to this trend, eastern region of West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, do not contribute to cooperatives even 5 per cent of the milk produced. In Gujarat, most milk production reaches to cooperative dairy affiliated to Amul accounting to 35 per cent. Similar trend is seen in Karnataka, where Nandini brand process over 26 per cent of the State's milk. Similarly Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra handles 14-15 per cent of their States' milk.^[10] But surprisingly Kerala has milk production far short of demand and it depends on milk from outside the State that has been found to be adulterated. States of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka do not supply milk to Kerala.^[11][12] Despite one of the greenest state of India, Kerala failed to produce sufficient milk. Government of India has fully funded a Kerala Milk project to make situation better.^[13]

See also

• Standard of living in India
• States of India by size of economy
• Ministry of Rural Development (India)
• Rural Development Foundation, India
• Economy of India
• Indo-Gangetic Plain
• North India
• Green Revolution in India
• BIMAROU

References

1. ^ India By Sarina Singh, Pg 350
2. ^ Why the `Cow Belt’ is crying over Women’s Bill
3. ^ Caste and politics mix in India’s Hindu “cow belt”
4. ^ "India". CIA - The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html. Retrieved 2007-12-14. 
5. ^ "Hindustani Classical Music". Indian Melody. http://www.indianmelody.com/hindustani.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-14. 
6. ^ India by Sarina Singh
7. ^ "Caste and politics mix in India's Hindu “cow belt”". Reuters. 2008-01-24. http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/01/24/caste-and-politics-mix-in-indias-hindu-cow-belt/. 
8. ^ Bihar, Jharkhand among States which failed to utilise funds
9. ^ THE BIHAR FAILURE SYNDROME
10. ^ Milk the ‘cow belt' better
11. ^ Cow belt? Kerala
12. ^ Kerala to get milk from Maharashtra
13. ^ 'Go Samriddhi' to keep Kerala’s milk cans full