UP to levy cow welfare cess for setting up temporary shelters for stray cattle

Briefing media persons, minister for energy Shrikant Sharma and animal husbandry minister SP Singh Baghel said the decision to levy cow welfare cess had been taken to find a solution to the problem of stray cattle.

The UP cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to levy cow welfare cess on toll tax and excise, increase ‘mandi’ fee cess by 1% and earmark 0.5% of profits made by PSUs to mobilise funds for setting up temporary shelters for cattle (cow family) in the state.

The proposed temporary shelters for stray cattle in UP would have the capacity to accommodate 1,000 cattle heads. (HT File Photo)

The cabinet also approved a proposal to set up specialised motor accident compensation tribunals in all the 75 districts of UP for expeditious disposal of cases for compensation in motor vehicle accidents.

Briefing media persons, minister for energy Shrikant Sharma and animal husbandry minister SP Singh Baghel said the decision to levy cow welfare cess had been taken to find a solution to the problem of stray cattle.

The ministers said that an additional 0.5 per cent cow welfare cess would be levied along with the toll tax realised by the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) and other such authorities.

The rate of ‘mandi’ cess would be increased from the existing 1% to 2%, and 0.5% of the profits made by public sector undertakings (PSUs) and construction agencies like UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam and UP State Bridge Corporation would also be used to generate funds for cow shelters, they added.

Baghel said the problem of stray animals was growing due to the use of machines in farming instead of bullocks.

“Stray animals are damaging crops and leading to road accidents,” he added. Under the new policy, certain funds of urban local bodies, mineral development fund, MPLAD Fund, legislators fund, rural job scheme (MNREGA) and other departmental schemes would also be used to set up cow shelters, he added.

The ministers said the cow shelters would have the capacity to accommodate 1,000 cattle heads and added that ‘kanji house system’ (where impounded cattle are kept) and cage boxes for cattle would also be revived.

A committee would be set up at block, tehsil and district levels for the implementation of the plan, they said.

These committees will function under the guidance of a panel headed by the chief secretary. To bring down the cost of setting up cow shelters, instead of constructing boundary walls, trenches would be dug to confine the cattle within the premises.

The state cabinet also gave nod to a proposal to provide financial assistance to employees/officers of state police and fire service departments who are rendered disabled in encounters with terrorists and other anti-social elements or while carrying out relief work in cases of fire. An amount of ₹20 lakh will be given in cases of 80-100% disability, ₹15 lakh for 70-79% disability and ₹10 lakh for 50-59% disability. The cabinet also decided to amend the executive order regarding eligibility of candidates for recruitment of director/ secretary of Uttar Pradesh Institute of Design, Lucknow.

The amendment provides for bringing down required experience for candidates from the existing 20 years to 15 years. It also provides for fixing the maximum age for the post to 55 years instead of 57 years. The minimum age has also been fixed at 45 years. Earlier, no minimum age was mentioned for the post.