Haryana's cow protection law has come into force with effect from Thursday after President Pranab Mukherjee's assent, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said here while praising three Muslim legislators for supporting the Bill in the Assembly.
With the issuance of notification of the Bill on Thursday, cow slaughter in Haryana will now attract a rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to 10 years.
"The Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Bill has come into force from Thursday," Khattar said.
On the occasion of 'Gopasthami', the chief minister formally released the notification of the Bill during a function.
Addressing the gathering, Khattar said,"The Bill was passed unanimously by all 90 members of Assembly including three Muslim legislators who hail from Mewat."
He said that people belonging to Muslim community have also appreciated the cow protection law passed by the Assembly in March this year and assured to provide every possible help in its implementation.
"Many people of Muslim community claim that their ancestors were 'Yadhuvanshis' as they used to rear cows. In this direction, a Muslim gaushala has also been set up in Mewat," he said.
The chief minister said that Bhani Ram Mangla has been appointed the Chairman of 'Gau Seva Aayog' which has become functional from today. Mangla belongs to Mewat.
Khattar urged the people residing in urban areas that if they are unable to rear cows in their houses then they could ask their relatives living in rural areas to rear an extra cow on their account, according to an official release.
Notably, under the provisions of the new law, cow trafficking, slaughtering and eating beef are banned in the state.
For "protection and upkeep" of cows, Haryana Assembly had in March this year passed the Bill which clamps a complete ban on cow slaughter in the state and provides for a rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to ten years for killing the animal.
(Reopens DES 55)
Khattar said the Haryana government has implemented several schemes to promote cow rearing in the state.
Under these schemes, grant up to 50 per cent was given for setting up mini dairy with minimum five cows and incentive ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 was being given for rearing indigenous cows.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced to give Rs 11 lakh to Shri Krishna Gaushala out of his discretionary funds.
Shankaracharya Swami Divyanand Teerthji and Mahamandaleshwar, Gyananand Maharaj also spoke on this occasion.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment and BJP MP from Faridabad, Krishan Pal Gurjar, MLA of Gharaunda Harwinder Kalyan, Karnal Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, former Union Minister of State for Home, I D Swami and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.
Meanwhile, Khattar inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of developmental projects worth over Rs 66.32 crore at Karnal, the assembly seat he represents.
He inaugurated new vegetable market in grain market set up at a cost of Rs 18 crore and laid the foundation stone of 45 km sewerage line to be laid at a cost of about Rs 30 crore, water drain project costing Rs 9.22 crore and sewage treatment plant to be set up with Rs 9.10 crore.
After inaugurating new vegetable market, the Chief Minister said that with this project long pending demand of traders and people of the area has been fulfilled.
"New vegetable market would benefit all vegetable vendors and also ease traffic congestion in the city.
"The market has been set up over an area of 35 acres and 22 shop-cum-flats (SCF) and 36 small booths have been constructed in it. Besides, facility of four parking areas, four toilets, a canteen and a rest house has also been provided in the new vegetable market," he said.
