After much dilly-dallying, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan has signed a memorandum of understanding with Akshay Patra for maintenance of Hingonia gaushala, where the death of hundreds of cows had recently made headlines. The Opposition Congress continues to accuse the government of being negligent in handling the cow shelter's affairs.
Akshay Patra, a non-government organisation, will get the charge of the State-run gaushala on October 1, as the MoU will be operative for six months. The MoU will be reviewed after six months and extended for the next 19 years if the conditions are found improving.
Local Self-Government Minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, Jaipur Mayor Nirmal Nahta and Akshay Patra's representative Govind Das signed the MoU in the presence of Public Works Department Minister Yunus Khan here on Wednesday evening.
According to the MoU's stipulations, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Akshay Patra will establish a trust, which will periodically review the arrangements in the cow shelter and take decisions for its upkeep. Akshay Patra will also grow green fodder on the gaushala premises for consumption of cows and install a bio-gas plant and a carcass disposal plant.