Amid BJP fury, Congress rules out scrapping cow protection scheme in Maharashtra

After BJP cried foul over reports of Maha Vikas Aghadi government scrapping cow protection scheme- Govardhan Govansh Seva Kendra (GGSK), Congress issued an important clarification in this regard. Speaking to media on Monday, Congress MLA and Textiles Minister Aslam Shaikh revealed that re was question of scrapping scheme. At same time, he promised an inquiry if some irregularities surfaced. However, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed that funds for scheme had been misused and benefits were given to people associated with RSS. 

Aslam Shaikh remarked, "When BJP was in power, such kind of inquiries would happen. re is question of scrapping scheme pertaining to protection of cows. We will take strict action if any irregularities come to fore." 

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Maharashtra government's cow protection scheme

In 2015, Devendra Fadnavis government had imposed a ban on sale and consumption of beef, making it punishable by a 5-year jail term and a fine of Rs. 10,000. reafter, GGSK scheme was launched in 2017 with an aim to set up permanent shelters in 34 districts for d and unproductive cattle which farmer could t afford to look after. This would ensure that such cattle were t abandoned. Moreover, it intended to boost infrastructure at gaushalas (cowsheds) set up to conserve, protect and develop cattle and progeny. 

Maharashtra government made a one-time grant of Rs.1 crore to every gaushala in state barring for Mumbai and its suburbs in 2018-19, financial year in which scheme officially commenced. scheme was expanded to taluka level with same budgetary allocation in next year. This amounted to a grant of approximately Rs. 25 lakh per gaushala costing Rs.34 crore in total.  

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