36 more municipal areas levy cow cess

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 7

At least 32 municipal committees and four municipal corporations have passed resolutions to levy cow cess in their areas.

The cess has already been levied by three municipal corporations of Bathinda, SAS Nagar and Phagwara.

Kimti Bhagat, Chairman, Punjab State Gau Sewa Commission, said: “We have written to all municipal committees and corporations in the state to levy cow cess, which is mandatory as per the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act. Of 156 municipal committees, 32 have already passed resolutions on the matter. Similarly, four of 10 municipal corporations have passed the resolution.”

He said: “We have asked the officials concerned to take the Congress into confidence where the civic bodies are under their rule. In some areas, the Congress has even supported the levy.”

Bhagat said the municipal authorities were solely responsible to deal with the menace of stray cattle. “The matter can’t be taken lightly,” he warned officials while chairing a meeting here.

He reviewed the functioning of all cow shelters in the district and said the cow shelters of 25-acre each would be made in all districts. In Muktsar district, one such cow shelter is being established at Ratta Tibba village.

Bhagat said in 472 cow shelters in the state, 2.69 lakh cows had been given shelter. “Another 1.06 lakh cows are still straying across the state,” he said.

The state government had already announced free water and electricity to all cow shelters. Similarly, the items purchased by cow shelters were not covered under VAT, he added.

The rising tax burden

Rs100 every round of oil tanker in city limits

2 paisa per unit of power consumption

Rs1,000 booking of AC marriage palace

Rs500 booking of non-AC marriage palace

Rs1,000 registration of four-wheeler

Rs200 registration of two-wheeler

Rs1 per bag of cement
Rs120 per case of Indian made foreign liquor
Rs60 per case of country made liquor

Estimated collection

We are estimating per annum collection of nearly Rs60 crore from cow cess across the state. It will be spent on cow shelters by the cow protection committees formed in all districts: Kimti Bhagat, Chairman, Punjab State Gau Sewa Commission.

Courtesy: The Tribune