UP Increases Tax on Beer to Fund Cow Shelters
UP government imposes tax on Beer and foreign liquor to build cow shelters for stray cattle.
The Uttar Pradesh government has banned cow slaughter, because of this there are many stray cows that roam around freely. These stray cows are a big problem for the farmers. The farmers complain that that they keep destroying crops. Last month farmers had locked up 500-700 cows in government buildings and schools all over UP.
On 18 January 2019, the Yogi Adityanath’s government in Uttar Pradesh, has proposed to increase the tax on beer and foreign liquor. This is called the ‘Cow Welfare Cess’, that will fund for cow shelters in UP. In these cow shelter], the stray cows will cared for.
The tax department in UP said that an extra fee of, Rs 0.50- Rs 2.00 will be charged per bottle on the purchase of beer and Indian or foreign made liquor. In restaurants and hotels across UP, a special fee of Rs 10 will be charge on Indian and foreign liquor and Rs 5 will be charged on each bottle of beer.
The tax department has asked the government to impose fees on different items, so that the government can generate money to fund for cow shelters.
This increase in tax will generate almost Rs 165 crore per year. In 2018, the Rajasthan government charged 20% tax on liquor to generate funds to build cow shelters in the state.
