The Rajasthan government is demanding the recovery of ₹57.36 crore from 38 cow shelters after a CAG audit revealed inflated cattle counts and fraudulent subsidy claims. These shelters allegedly received public funds for animals that were deceased or not present. Authorities have warned that non-compliant shelters face the suspension of future financial and administrative approvals.
The Rajasthan government has launched a recovery process for ₹57.36 crore in grants issued under the state's cow protection scheme. This action follows an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which identified major irregularities in the disbursement of subsidies meant for fodder and water for cattle in state-registered gaushalas or shelters.
Audit Reveals Systemic Overstatement of Cattle Numbers
The CAG report alleges that 38 shelters across Rajasthan significantly inflated their herd sizes to qualify for higher subsidy payments. According to the audit, these shelters claimed funds for approximately 1.31 lakh more cattle than were actually present at the facilities. Under the state’s current policy, gaushalas are eligible for a daily grant of ₹40 for adult cattle and ₹20 for calves. Investigators found that grants were released even for cattle that were reported as deceased or inactive in official records.
Discrepancies Between Physical Records and Digital Data
A primary point of failure highlighted by the audit is the mismatch between manual daily records kept by the shelters and the data uploaded to the government's Bharat Pashudhan App. Despite clear data inconsistencies, the release of government funds reportedly continued without sufficient verification. The report also notes that subsidies were processed for cattle lacking the required registration tags, casting doubt on the monitoring protocols used by the state's Gopalan Department.
Impact on Prominent Shelters
Several large-scale gaushalas are specifically named in the audit findings. The Shri Braj Kamad Surabhi Van Research Institute Gaushala in Deeg district allegedly received approximately ₹16.36 crore in excess funds, while the Shri Gopal Govardhan Gaushala in Jalore district is accused of receiving ₹10.95 crore more than its entitlement. Other prominent shelters, including the Pinjrapole and Hingonia gaushalas located in Jaipur, were also cited for excess grant receipts of ₹1.81 crore and ₹1.41 crore, respectively.
Recovery Status and Operator Response
The Gopalan Department issued recovery notices to the affected shelters on May 29, 2026, ordering the immediate deposit of the excess funds. As of now, a significant portion of the money has yet to be recovered. Shelter operators have denied allegations of deliberate fraud, claiming that the findings are the result of poor documentation and administrative errors rather than intentional misappropriation of funds. For investors and stakeholders monitoring public-private spending in the state, the next key development will be the progress of these recovery efforts and whether the state introduces stricter, technology-backed verification processes for future subsidies.