The Madhya Pradesh government intends to levy a fee on whiskey and other items to cover the costs of operating cow shelters in the state. A senior finance department official said on Friday that the Madhya Pradesh government is planning to impose a surcharge on products such as liquor and services provided by local bodies to generate 100 crores to cover the costs of running cow shelters in the state, following a meeting of the Gau Samvardhan Board with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan the day before.
With the 2023 Assembly election on the horizon, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has decided to implement a tax plan for "cow welfare" in the state where Gau Kalyan (cow welfare) has been at the centre of politics for years. "A tax plan should be prepared to mop up funds for cow fodder. Similarly, cow products should be promoted and cow phenyl should be used in Government offices,” Chouhan said during a review meeting of the 'Madhya Pradesh Gaupalan and Livestock Promotion Board on Thursday.
He directed officials to construct 2,200 gaushalas (COW shelters), develop six gaushalas as training centres, re-open eight Gau Sadans that had been closed, develop the Salaria Gau Sanctuary in Agar-Malwa district as a model sanctuary, and establish a Gauvansh Van Vihar in Jabalpur district, for which 530 acres of land is available from the Animal Husbandry Department, according to an official.
Two Ministers in the Chouhan Cabinet proposed making cow raising necessary for contesting elections two months before the important by-election in October. The intention to establish a tax scheme for cow welfare sparked discontent in Congress, with party spokespersons and MLAs hesitating to comment. Observers believe Chouhan's Gau Rakshak (cow saviour) orders would have an impact on the 2023 Assembly election.
Chouhan also urged for more efforts to enhance the breed of cows in the state and emphasised the need of research to boost milk output in cows.
