Rajasthan's rhythm bovine

BJP-RULED Rajasthan, the only state to have a ministry dedicated to the welfare of cows, has taken its love for the bovines to a new level ahead of the assembly elections. It has imposed a 20 per cent cess on all varieties of alcoholic drinks sold in the state. While the notification issued by the finance department does not mention where the surcharge will be spent, officials say it is likely to be used for the protection of cows. Conservation of cows has remained a focus area for Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who had earlier hiked stamp duty from 10 per cent to 20 per cent in the name of bovine protection. The move came after the Centre slashed nearly 90 per cent of the grants for cow shelters in Rajasthan from its disaster relief fund, officials say. Rajasthan has 2,562 registered cow shelters and 0.96 million bovines for which `490 crore is required as grant for six months. There are also plans to launch a "cow safari" at the stateowned Hingonia Gaushala on the outskirts of Jaipur. This is the same shelter where thousands of cows died within two months in 2016 due to alleged mismanagement. "The cess on liquor is just to appease a section of society and burden the taxpayers," says Sachin Pilot, state president of the Congress, which is in the opposition.