Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has decided to set up a tax plan for “cow welfare” in the State.

Key Points

• Government has decided that a tax plan will be prepared to mop up funds for cow fodder.
• It has planned to impose surcharge on services provided by local bodies in order to generate Rs 100 crore for meeting the expenses of running cow shelters in Madhya Pradesh.
• It also asked that, cow products should be promoted and cow phenyl should be used across Government offices.
• CM also directed officials:

1. To build 2,200 gaushalas (cow shelters),
2. To develop six gaushalas as training centres,
3. To restart eight Gau Sadans, which were shut down
4. To develop Salaria Gau Sanctuary of Agar-Malwa district as a model sanctuary
5. To set up a Gauvansh Van Vihar in Jabalpur district. For this van Vihar, 530 acres of land is available with Animal Husbandry Department.

Background

This decision was taken at a meeting of Gau Samvardhan Board recently in Bhopal after revenue in 2020 for cow protection from Mandi Board declined because of implementation of new farm laws (Now revoked) and efforts to get donations evoked lukewarm response from people.