BOVINE DEVOTION

RAJASTHAN

- Rohit Parihar

It’s raining funds for cow shelters in Congress-ruled Rajasthan. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has usurped the pet project of BJP governments, and is now spending Rs 800 crore in aid annually for gaushalas (cow shelters). From January on, he has liberalised the aid criteria further. The cow shelter network is expanding each year—the number of registered shelters last fiscal was 2,990 (of which 2,121 were getting aid) with 990,000 cows; now, it’s 3,222 shelters with 1.06 million cows. The state is also planning 353 shelters for bulls (milch cows do not get aid, only old, and infertile cows and bulls do).

For cows, the subsidy of Rs 40 per day for a mature cow/ bull and Rs 20 for calves helps take care of half the annual expenses. A scheme was also introduced this fiscal where small, registered cow shelters with their own land can avail up to Rs 9 lakh in aid to add or improve upon basic facilities; 82 shelters have availed of the offer so far.

Gehlot also amended the Nandishala scheme for bulls this year. The new plan envisages a private nandishala in all 353 panchayat samitis in the next two years; the target for this year is one in all 33 districts by March 31. Each