LexThe Maharashtra Goseva Ayog Act, 2023.
Maharashtra · state statute
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this act2023 : Mah. XXIII] 1
THE MAHARASHTRA GOSEVA AYOG ACT, 2023
[Text as on 25thMarch 2025]
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CONTENTS
PREAMBLE.
SECTIONS.
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.
2. Definitions.
CHAPTER II
GOSEVA AYOG
3. Constitution and incorporation of Goseva Ayog.
4. Term and allowances of non-official members.
5. Disqualification.
6. Removal of non-official members.
7. Casual vacancy.
8. Meetings of Goseva Ayog.
9. Vacancy not to invalidate proceedings.
10. Appointment of officers and other employees.
11. Functions of Goseva Ayog.
CHAPTER III
REGISTRATION OF INSTITUTIONS
12. Registration of Institutions and audit of their accounts.
13. Inspection.
CHAPTER IV
FINANCE, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
14. Goseva Ayog Fund.
15. Accounts and audit.
16. Annual report.
17. Action on Ayog’s report.
CHAPTER V
MISCELLANEOUS
18. Power of Government to call for reports, returns, etc.
19. Power of Ayog to call for records.
20. Power to give directions.
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21. Appeal.
22. Penalty.
23. Members of Goseva Ayog to be public servants.
24. Protection of action taken in good faith.
25. Power to make regulations.
26. Power to make rules.
27. Power to remove difficulties.
2023 : Mah. XXIII] The Maharashtra Goseva Ayog Act, 2023 3
MAHARASHTRA ACT No. XXIII OF 20231
[THE MAHARASHTRA GOSEVA AYOG ACT.]
[This Act received the assent of the Governor on the 27th April 2023; assent was first published
in the Maharashtra Government Gazette, Extraordinary No. 24, Part IV, on the 28th April 2023.]
An Act to constitute Goseva Ayog for the preservation, protection and
welfare of cattle, and for supervision of Institutions engaged
therein, in the State of Maharashtra and to provide for the
matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS it is expedient to constitute Goseva Ayog for the preservation, protection and welfare
of cattle, and for supervision of Institutions engaged therein, in the State of Maharashtra and for the
matters connected therewith or incidental thereto; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-fourth Year of the
Republic of India, as follows :—
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.— (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog
Act, 2023.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) ―cattle‖ means cows, cow-bulls, bullocks and cow-calves of indigenous (Desi) breed and
also includes the non-descript breed;
(b) ―Chairperson‖ means the Chairperson of the Ayog;
(c) ― Goseva Ayog ‖ or ― Ayog‖ means the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog constituted under
section 3;
(d) ―Institution‖ means any charitable inst itution registered under the Maharashtra Public
Trusts Act (XXIX of 1950), or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 (21
of 1860) , or the Maharashtra Co -operative Societies Act, 1960 (Mah. XXIV of 1961) or a
company registered under the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) , engaged in cattle keeping,
breeding, rearing and maintaining and reception, protection, care, management and treatment of
infirm, aged and diseased cattle for the purposes of preservation, protection and welfare there of
and includes Gosadan, Goshala, Panjarpol, Gorakshan Sanstha, etc. and their Federation or Union
registered under any enactment for the time being in force or otherwise;
(e) ―member‖ means a member of the Goseva Ayog and includes the Chairperson;
(f) ―prescribed‖ means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(g) ―regulations‖ means regulations made by the Goseva Ayog under this Act;
(h) ―rules‖ means rules made under this Act;
(i) ―State Government‖ or ―Government‖ means the Government of Maharashtra.
CHAPTER II
GOSEVA AYOG
3. Constitution and incorporation of Goseva Ayog .— (1) The State Government shall, by
notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a body to be known as ―the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog‖
to exercise the powers conferred upon and to perform the functions assigned to it, under this Act.
1 For Statement of O bjects and Reasons of the L.A. Bill No. XVII of 2023, see Maharashtra Government Gazette , 2023,
Extraordinary No. 16, Part V-A, dated 23rd March 2023, page 10.
4 The Maharashtra Goseva Ayog Act, 2023 [2023 : Mah. XXIII
(2) The Goseva Ayog shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid having perpetual
succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and
immovable, and to contract, and may by the said name sue or be sued.
(3) The head office of the Goseva Ayog shall be at such place, as may be prescribed.
(4) The Goseva Ayog shall consist of the following members, namely :—
(a) one non -official member from the
Chairperson; members specified in clause
(p) to be nominated by the Government
Chairperson;
(b) the Commissioner, Animal Husbandary ex officio member ;
(c) the Commissioner, Agriculture ex officio member ;
(d) the Commissioner, Diary Development ex officio member ;
(e) the Commissioner, Transport ex officio member ;
(f) an officer to be nominated by the Director
General of Police, not below the rank of the
Deputy Inspector General of Police
ex officio member ;
(g) the joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary,
Animal Husbandary
ex officio member ;
(h) an officer to be nominated by the Charity
Commissioner, not below the rank of
Deputy Charity Commissioner
ex officio member ;
(i) an officer to be nominated by the Rural
Development Department, not below the
rank of the Deputy Secretary
ex officio member ;
(j) an officer to be nominated by the Finance
Department, not below the rank of the
Deputy Secretary
ex officio member ;
(k) an officer to be nominated by the Ur ban
Development Department, not below the
rank of the Deputy Secretary
ex officio member ;
(l) an officer to be nominated by the Home
Department, not below the rank of the
Deputy Secretary
ex officio member ;
(m) an officer to be nominated by the Forests
Department, not below the rank of Deputy
Secretary
ex officio member ;
(n) the director (Extension) of the Maharashtra
Animal and Fishery Sciences University,
Nagpur
ex officio member ;
(o) the Director (Extension) of the Mahatma
Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri or an
officer to be nominated by the Director
(Extension) having expertize in the field of
Fooder Development
ex officio member ;
(p) nine non -official persons or represntatives
of the non -Governmental Organizations
(NGOs) or Gosadan, Goshala, Panjarpol
and Gorakshan Sanstha, etc. or their
members ;
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federation or union. Who, in the opinion of
the Government have exp erience of the
following fields, to be nom inated by the
State Government :—
(i) cattle welfare;
(ii) animal management;
(iii) veterinary science;
(iv) diary development or diary
technology;
(v) biotechnology and biodiversity;
(vi) marketing;
(vii) law;
(viii) social work; or
(ix) modern technology, Processing
industry and treatment under various
modern as well as indigenous pathies.
(q) an officer to be nominated by the
Government not below the rank of Joint
Commissioner of Animal Husbandary
member-secretary.
(5) The appointment of the non -official members shall take effect from the date on which their
names are published in the Official Gazette.
(6) The post of the Joint Commissioner of Animal Husbandry shall be created, who shall
discharge his duty as a member secretary of the Goseva Ayog.
(7) If the office of the Chairperson is vacant or if the Chairperson is absent, then the
Commissioner, Animal Husbandry shall discharge the functions of the Chairperson.
4. Term and allowances of non -official members. — (1) Subject to the pleasure of the
Government, the Chairperson and non -official members of the Goseva Ayog, shall hold office for a
term of three years from the date of their appointments are notified in the Official Gazette , unless
terminated earlier by the State Government.
(2) The non-official members shall receive such allowances as may be prescribed.
(3) A non -official member may resign from his office in writing addressed to the State
Government.
5. Disqualification.— A person shall be disqualified for being appointed as, or for being
continued as, the Chairperson or member, as the case may be, if he,—
(a) is not a citizen of India;
(b) has not attained the age of twenty-one years;
(c) is of unsound mind and stand so declared by a competent court;
(d) is convicted for an offence involving moral turpitude;
(e) has been removed or dismissed from the service of the Government; and
(f) is an undischarged insolvent.
6. Removal of non -official members. — (1) The State Government may remove any non -
official member, who,–
(a) has been disqualified under section 5;
(b) refuses to act or becomes incapable of acting;
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(c) is, without obtaining leave of absence from the Goseva Ayog, remains absent for three
consecutive meetings of the Goseva Ayog, or
(d) has, in the opinion of the State Government so abused the position of the Chairperson or
member, so as to render his continuance in the office detrimental to the interests of the Goseva
Ayog.
(2) No order of removal under sub-section (1) shall be made, unless the non -official member has
been given reasonable opportunity of being heard; and when such order is passed, the office of the
member so removed shall be deemed to be vacant.
(3) A member who has been so removed under sub -section ( 1) shall not be eligible for
reappointment as a member or on any other post of the Goseva Aayog.
7. Casual vacancy .— (1) Any casual vacancy occurred due to death, resignation,
disqualification or removal of a non-official member shall be filled as early as possible.
(2) A member appointed under sub -section (1) shall hold office so long as the member in whose
place he has been appointed would have held office if the vacancy had not occurred.
8. Meetings of Goseva Ayog.— (1) The Goseva Ayog shall hold meetings at least four times in a
year and shall keep record of its proceedings in a minute book.
(2) The meetings of the Goseva Ayog shall be convened and presided over by the Chairperson.
(3) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the Goseva Ayog may
observe such procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings (including the q uorum
there at) as may be specified by regulations.
9. Vacancy not to invalidate proceedings.— No act or proceeding of the Goseva Ayog shall be
invalid merely on the ground of the existence of any vacancy, or any defect, in the constitution of the
Goseva Ayog.
10. Appointment of officers and other employees.— Subject to such rules as may be made in
this behalf, the State Government may, for the purpose of enabling the Goseva Ayog to efficiently
discharge its functions under this Act, provide such number of officers and other employees as may be
considered necessary.
11. Functions of Goseva Ayog .— The Goseva Ayog shall perform th e following functions,
namely :—
(a) to register Institutions under this Act;
(b) to ensure protection given to cattle under any law for the time being in force;
(c) to ensure proper and timely implementation of programs and schemes of the State
Government for development of Gosadan, Goshala, Panjarpol and Gorakshan Sanstha;
(d) to ensure active participation of the Institutions in the development of indigenous breed
of cattle specially of the State of Maharashtra;
(e) to promote health care of cattle;
(f) to ensure care and management of cattle seized for violation of any enactment fo r the
time being in force;
(g) to ensure proper management, care and treatment of infirm, aged and diseased cattle
maintained by the Institutions;
(h) to ensure implementation of awareness and training programme for farmers and other
stakeholders regarding cattle management;
(i) to ensure active co -operation of Institutions in the conservation and development of
indigenous breed of cattle;
(j) to ensure and monitor the implementation of bovine breeding policy of the State of
Maharashtra;
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(k) to supervise and inspect the Institutions;
(l) to promote cultivation and production of improved variety of fodder, fodder -seed and
pasture development activities;
(m) to co -ordinate with the Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur
and o ther Research Institutions dealing with cattle and fodder development programs and to
ensure active participation of the Institutions to adopt new scientific technology;
(n) to co -ordinate with universities and other Research Institutes to develop and get their
support to adopt new scientific technologies for breed improvement, fodder development and
industries based on dung, urine, biogas, etc.;
(o) to suggest such measure s which may be helpful in strengthening of the Institutions
which are economically weak;
(p) to give financial assistance to the Institutions;
(q) to enquire into complaints in the functioning of any Institution;
(r) to review the activities of prevention of cruelty to cattle;
(s) to review the activities of District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals;
(t) to ensure implementation of the provisions of this Act and rules made thereunder; and
(u) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed.
CHAPTER III
REGISTRATION OF INSTITUTIONS
12. Registration of Institutions and audit of their accounts. — (1) Every Institution shall
submit to the Goseva Ayog an application for registration under this Act, in such form and manner and
containing such particulars as may be prescribed, duly signed by the person authorized in this behalf by
such Institution,—
(a) within a period of six months from the date of comm encement of this Act, in case of the
Institutions in existence on such date; and
(b) within a period of three months from the date on which the Institutions are established,
after the date of commencement of this Act.
(2) The application shall be accompanied by such fees as may be prescribed.
(3) The Goseva Ayog shall after such enquiry as it deems fit, issue a certificate of registration in
such form as may be prescribed.
(4) The Goseva Ayog shall maintain a Register o f Institutions registered with it, in such form, as
may be prescribed.
(5) If there is any change in any of the particulars relating to the Institution recorded in the
Register as prescribed under sub -section ( 4), the person entrusted to act on behalf of t he Institution
shall report the change to the Goseva Ayog. The Ayog shall, after such enquiry ( if any) as it deems fit,
make the necessary change in the Register.
(6) The accounts of every Institution which has been registered under this Act, shall be balanced
each year on the thirty -first day of March and its accounts shall be audited annually in the prescribed
manner.
13. Inspection.— The Goseva Ayog or any of its officers duly authorized in this behalf may
inspect any premises of the Inst itutions or any records thereof for the purposes of ensuring
implementation of this Act or rules made thereunder.
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CHAPTER IV
FINANCE, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
14. Goseva Ayog Fund.— (1) There shall be a fund of the Goseva Ayog to be called ―the Goseva
Ayog Fund‖, to which shall be credited all moneys received by the Ayog, including grants made by the
Government, fees received, donations, gifts and bequests made to it by any person or institution.
(2) All funds of the Goseva Ayog shall be kept in a National ized Bank and shall be operated by
the person as may be authorized by the Ayog in this behalf, in writing.
15. Accounts and audit .— (1) The Goseva Ayog shall maintain proper accounts and other
relevant records and prepare a report on accounts in such form as may be prescribed in consultation
with the Accountant General, Maharashtra.
(2) The accounts of the Goseva Ayog shall be audited by the Accountant General at such intervals
as may be specified by the Accountant General and any expenditure in connection with such audit shall
be borne by the Ayog.
(3) The Accountant General or any person appointed by the Accountant General in connection
with the audit of the accounts of the Goseva Ayog under this Act shall have the same rights and
privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Accountant General generally has in
connection with the audit of Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the
production of books, accounts, connected vouchers and other documents and papers and to inspect any
of the offices of the Goseva Ayog.
16. Annual Report.— The Goseva Ayog shall prepare, in such form and by such date, as may be
prescribed, for each financial year, an annual report, giving a full account of its activities during the
previous financial year; and submit a copy of it to the Government within one month from the
prescribed date.
17. Action on Ayog’s Report.— (1) Upon receipt of the annual report submitted under section
16, the Government may take such action thereon as it may consider necessary.
(2) A copy of the report submitted to the Government, together with a report of the action taken
thereon by the Governm ent under sub -section ( 1), shall be laid before each House of the State
Legislature.
CHAPTER V
MISCELLANEOUS
18. Power of Government to call for reports, returns, etc .— The Government may call for
such reports, returns or statements from the Goseva Ayog, from time to time, as it considers necessary.
19. Power of Ayog to call for records. — In order to enable the Goseva Ayog to perform the
functions under this Act, the Ayog may call for information or report from any Department of the
Government or any body or authority or any Institution and the Department or body or authority or the
Institution, as the case may be, shall, as early as practicable, comply with such request of the Ayog.
20. Power to give directions. —The Government may, from time to time, in the public interest
and for better and effective administration of the Goseva Ayog, give such directions to Ayog as deemed
necessary; and the Goseva Ayog shall comply with such directions.
21. Appeal.— (1) Any person aggrieved by an order passed by the Goseva Ayog under section
22 or any other order passed under this Act, may, within sixty days from the date of its communication,
file an appeal to the Government.
(2) On receipt of such appeal, the Governm ent shall, after giving a reasonable opportunity of
being heard to the appellant, pass such order as it may think fit.
(3) Every order made under this section by the Government shall be final.
2023 : Mah. XXIII] The Maharashtra Goseva Ayog Act, 2023 9
22. Penalty.— (1) If any person or Institution contravenes a ny of the provisions of this Act or
any rules made thereunder, or fails to comply with any order made in pursuance of such provisions, the
Goseva Ayog may, after such enquiry as it may deem necessary, and after givin g the person or
Institution an opportunity of being heard, impose upon him penalty which may extend upto ten
thousand rupees.
(2) The amount of penalty if not paid, it shall be recoverable as an arrears of land revenue.
23. Members of Goseva Ayog to be public servants.— All members and officers of the Goseva
Ayog shall, when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of any of the provisions of this Act or rules
made thereunder, be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal
Code (45 of 1860).
24. Protection of action taken in good faith. — No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings
shall lie against any member, officer or employee of the Goseva Ayog for anything which is in good
faith done or intended to be done under this Act.
25. Power to make regulations. —The Goseva Ayog may, with the previous approval of the
State Government, make regulations, from time to time, by notification published in the Official
Gazette, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act and rules made thereunder, for all or any of the
matters provided under this Act by regulations.
26. Power to make rules. — (1) The State Government may, by notification published in the
Official Gazette, make rules, subject to the condition of previous publication, to carry out the purposes
of this Act.
(2) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be, after it is made, before each
House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be
comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the session
in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, both Houses agree in making any
modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made and notify such decision
in the Official Gazette , the rule shall, from the date of publication of a notification in the Official
Gazette, have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however,
that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything
previously done or omitted to be done under that rule.
27. Power to remove difficulties.— (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions
of this Act, the State Government may, as occasion arises, by an order published in the Official
Gazette, do anything, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, which appears to it to be
necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the difficulty:
Provided that, no such order shall be made after the expiry of the period of two years from the
date of commencement of this Act.
(2) Every order made under sub -section ( 1) shall be laid, as soon as may be, after it is made,
before each House of the State Legislature.