Ahead of PM event, Gujarat govt disburses fund promised to Banaskantha gaushalas

The transfer came just two days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public programme in Banaskantha’s Tharad where he will lay the foundation stone of several water supply projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore on October 31.

On September 30, the PM handed out enlarged replicas of cheques to five gaushalas at Ambaji in Banaskantha district, which saw one of the biggest protests demanding money for sustenance under the scheme announced in the state budget this financial year.

However, nearly a month after they received the cheques under the Mukhyamantri Gau Mata Poshan Yojana, the five gaushalas were still awaiting the full amount last week.

Vipul Mali, general secretary of the Gujarat Gau Seva Sangh, an organisation of several such cow shelters that house sick cattle or those which are past milking age, said, “This looks like a well-planned political move of the state government. Just two days before PM’s jan sabha in Banaskantha, money for one month was transferred to the accounts of gaushalas and panjrapols. Also, it took them one month to transfer this money after PM distributed the cheques.”

He further accused the state government of announcing the money to be transferred for only two months and out of that, too, only half the amount–that for a month–has been deposited in the accounts of these gaushalas. “On one hand, the month being counted is still not clear as the state government has announced to start this scheme from April 1. On the other hand, we are not even given the assured money handed out by the PM himself at a jan sabha,” he added.

For the remaining districts, he said the “government has not even initiated paperwork and sought documents”. There are nearly 1,750 gaushalas and panjrapols in the state with over 4.5 lakh cattle heads.

Further, on October 27, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the withdrawal of the condition of “own land” for the registered gaushalas and panjrapols to qualify under the scheme. The Government Resolution (GR) issued by Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Co-operation Department on September 29–a day before PM’s event in Ambaji, had mandated applicants to be registered before March 31, 2022, and have their own land, along with certificates for the cattle.

“Various panjrapols and gaushalas, which are registered under the Public Trust Act but do not have their own land, made representations to the CM and Animal Husbandry Minister Raghavji Patel to avail the benefits of this scheme… the benefits of the Mukhyamantri Gaumata Poshan Yojana will be given to those institutions, cowsheds who do not have their own land,” the official release issued by the state government stated.

Though they were handed out the cheques for two months and were also assured by the local administration that, after due paperwork, the money quoted on the token cheques would reflect in their accounts “soon”, only 50 per cent of the amount was deposited in their accounts until last week, the trustees and management of the five gaushalas told The Indian Express.

Kamdhenu Gausewa Trust in Lalavada village of Palanpur taluka was among the five trusts who received the token cheque from PM Modi. “The amount in the cheque was as per the old records of cattle heads. Today, we have 229 cows. So, after verifying the documents and based on the cattle heads, Rs 2,06,100 is only for one month,” Virampuri told The Indian Express.

On the ‘dilly-dallying’ by the state government, Mali added, “We have sought time from the Chief Minister and cabinet minister and assured to meet after Diwali. If the delaying tactics of the state government continue, we will chalk out a plan to re-launch our protests.”

Swami Virampuri, who also runs an ashram, said the details when the cheque was handed out had mentioned that the Rs 30 per cow is for a period of two months.

Similar concerns were shared by Bhaumik Thakkar (44) from Shree Sadhguru Kabir Ramswarupdas Gaushala, Jagana in Palanpur. “We are facing a difficult situation due to a fund crunch. Ours is a self-financed gaushala. We also get donations from organisations and individuals. We keep indigenous breeds of cows that are difficult to maintain as they produce less milk. So, their maintenance cost is higher than the milk returns but Hindu Sanskriti preaches to save them.”

During the protest, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cow Breeding, Raghavji Patel, had told The Indian Express that the delay in the release of the money under the scheme was due to “administrative tangles”.

“For the remaining eligible gaushalas, we have issued instructions to release the payment but the administrative work takes time. Bills and other documents to be submitted by the beneficiaries takes time but this will be completed soon. We have directed the concerned offices,” Patel had told The Indian Express when asked about the delay in disbursing funds.