BHOPAL: The first meeting of the newly constituted 'gau cabinet' (cow cabinet) in Madhya Pradesh began on Sunday with an aim to bolster the economy based on cow and its progeny for making the state self-reliant.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired the meeting through virtual mode from his residence here and wished participants on the occasion of 'Gopashtami', a festival dedicated to Lord Krishna and cows, a source said.

The CM on Wednesday announced setting up of a separate "cabinet" for the protection and promotion of the cow.

Ministers of Animal Husbandry, Forest, Panchayat and Rural Development, Revenue, Home and Farmers' Welfare departments will be part of this cabinet, said to be the first such body in the country, he had informed.