Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government has introduced a “gau kalyan” (cow welfare) cess, an additional 0.5 percent levy on excise items, to fund construction and maintenance of cow shelters across the state.
The State Cabinet meeting that was held under Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday approved the plan to set up and run temporary ‘gauvansh ashray asthals’ under the urban and rural civic bodies in order to take proper care of stray cattle.
The new cess is expected to raise alcohol prices in the state UP but the department will hold a meeting to decide the items on which the cess will be levied.
Prior to this, State Chief Minister has directed authorities to make immediate arrangements for proper care of stray cows. He had ordered last week the removal of illegal encroachments to pave the way for fresh grazing grounds in different parts of the state.
Moreover, a cess of 0.5 percent will also be levied on toll tax collected by government agencies, and on profits made by public sector enterprises and construction agencies like UP State Construction and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, UP State Bridge Corporation Ltd, UPSIDC, etc for the purpose. The levy on mandi cess will also be increased from 1 percent to 2 percent to support the new state policy.
A government official also said that temporary cowsheds (gaushalas) will be opened in all villages, panchayats, municipalities, Nagar panchayats, and municipal corporations through MNREGA funds. “Government is planning to build a cowshed with a minimum capacity of 1,000 animals in every district (both urban and rural) and for this, a total of percent “cow welfare cess” will be imposed on excise, Mandi Parishad, profitable corporations and others, he said.
In another move, the state cabinet also gave its approval for providing compensation to officials and employees of the state police and fire services in case of disability suffered during the discharge of duties. Before such compensation was only given in case of death.
Yogi government also approved a plan to give police station status to 10 units of UP Vigilance to expedite inquiry and prosecution in such cases, the government spokesman added.