86.4% of UP 'gaushala' grant went to NGO run by Akhilesh's sister-in-law

AGRA: During Akhilesh Yadav’s tenure as chief minister, 86% of the total grant given by Uttar Pradesh Gau Sewa Ayog to gaushala and cow protection organizations went to then CM's sister-in-law Aparna Yadav’s Jeev Ashraya NGO.

The NGO runs the Kanha Upwan gaushala near Amausi, owned by Lucknow Nagar Nigam.

This fact has emerged in an RTI reply by Ayog’s PIO Sanjay Yadav.

According to the information, in the five-year period between 2012 to 2017, the Ayog gave a total grant of Rs 9.66 crore, of which Rs 8.35 crore was given only to Jeev Ashraya.

During the financial years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, Jeev Ashraya was the only NGO to be given this grant to the tune of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 1.25 crore and Rs 1.41 crore respectively.

In the financial year 2015-16 Jeev Ashraya got Rs 2.58 crore while Sripad Baba gaushala, Vrindavan received Rs 41 lakh. Further, in 2016-17 of the total grant of Rs 3.45 crore, Jeev Ashraya received Rs 2.55 crore.

Similarly, in the current financial year 2017-18, Rs 1.05 crore was given to various gaushalas, but interestingly it does not include Jeev Ashraya.

Dayodaya gaushala, Lalitpur got the highest amount of Rs 63 lakh.

According to RTI activist Nutan Thakur, “More than 80% of grant to one particular NGO during SP regime is a clear indicator of huge political nepotism.”