The Gujarat government will give free land to all the villages across the state for setting up animal hostels, agriculture minister Dilip Sanghani said.

Gujarat is the first state amongst all the states in the country which has come up with this plan which ensures all round development of villages, Sanghani told PTI.

The Gaucher (waste Land) in the villages will be used for this purpose and any illegal encroachment constructed on such lands, will be removed, he said.

The state's first animal hostel constructed at Akodara village of Himatnagar Taluka of Sabarkantha district has already become functional which has increased the income of all 215 families of this village, Sanghani said.

Villagers can keep their animals in the cattle sheds at the hostel where vermi-compost and power is produced using dung. The electricity generated by it meets power requirement of the hostel. The Akadara milk federation has raised 66,000 litre more milk per annum due to this hostel, he added.

Encouraged by its success, the state government has developed a unique concept of animal hostel in the villages of the state, the minister said.

Sanghani said the animal hostel aims at cleanliness and generating biogas as low-cost fuel and keep the environment pollution free.