New Delhi, July 3: In a major RTI revelation, nearly 86 per cent of the grant sanctioned by the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh for cow welfare was given to an NGO run by the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s sister-in-law Aparna Yadav. To an RTI query by activist Nutan Thakur, the UP Gau Sewa Aayog replied that from 2012 to 2017, it sanctioned Rs 9.66 crore, of which Rs 8.35 crore (86.4 per cent) went to Jeev Ashraya, the NGO run by Aparna Yadav. Also Read - War on 'Love Jihad'? Yogi Govt Likely to Bring Ordinance To Restrict Religious Conversion in UP

Aparna is the wife of Prateek Yadav, the step-brother of Akhilesh Yadav. Her NGO runs a gaushala at Amausi in Lucknow district. Soon after Yogi Adityanath took over as the Chief Minister of UP earlier this year, he had visited Aparna Yadav’s gaushala. Also Read - School Reopening News: This BJP-ruled State Refuses to Resume Classes From Sept 21 | Here's Why

“Lease of land given to Aparna Yadav’s organisation, initially for 3 years, was later extended to 5 years during SP rule. 86 per cent of the fund by ‘Gau Sewa Commission’ was allotted to her (Aparna Yadav) organisation,” Nutan Thakur was quoted as saying by ANI. Also Read - Uttar Pradesh Governor Approves Renaming of Manduadih Railway Station to Banaras

The RTI reply said that in the financial year 2015-16, Jeev Ashray got Rs 2.58 crore, while Sripad Baba Goshala in Vrindavan got Rs 41 lakh, the RTI reply stated. “In 2016-17, of the total grant of Rs 3.45 crore, Jeev Ashraya got Rs 2.55 crore, while among other four NGOs, Sripad Goshala got Rs 63 lakh,” it stated.

In the current financial year, Rs 1.05 crore has been given to various gaushalas where Jeev Ashraya was not one of the recipients. Dayodaya Goshala in Lalitpur got the highest amount of Rs 63 lakh, the RTI reportedly said.

The UP Gau Sewa Aayog comes under the state Animal Husbandry department. It gives funds to gaushalas (cowsheds) and organisations working for the welfare of cows.