With livestock being hit due to drought, the Centre has decided to transport fodder from surplus areas to deficit places and will coordinate with the Railways Ministry for the project.
In India, fodder is cultivated in only about 4 per cent of the agricultural land and is not adequate to meet the requirement. The back-to-back years of drought in 10 states has widened the shortage of fodder.
In a video conference with senior officials of state governments, Animal Husbandry Secretary Devendra Chaudhary discussed the fodder crisis and asked the state governments to take measures to improve the availability.
Chaudhary said fodder can be moved from surplus areas to deficit places to protect livestock.
"Fodder can be moved from surplus areas to the shortage areas. Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries would coordinate with the Ministry of Railways for transport of fodder as may be required from surplus to the deficient states on payment basis," a statement quoted Chaudhary as saying.
To boost fodder supply in rainfall deficit areas, the Secretary directed the state governments to prepare action plan immediately for fodder development and make use of funds allocated under National Livestock Mission (NLM) as well as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
As much as Rs 292 crore has been allocated under NLM and Rs 100 crore for a sub-scheme under RKVY, he added.
"Use of these funds (under NLM) can be immediately made for taking up fodder development for which the Action Plan needs to be prepared immediately," Chaudhary said.
The action plan is useful for ensuring fodder availability for animals should the rainfall be deficient, especially in states where there is already a shortage of fodder, such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, he added.
That apart, under the sub-scheme of Fodder Development Programme under RKVY, assistance up to Rs 3,200 is provided per hectare (for a maximum of two hectares) for fodder development in drought affected areas.
"Both these schemes NLM and RKVY can be dovetailed with MNREGA and an Integrated Plan inter alia be made," the Secretary told states.
The state governments were also asked submit the utilisation certificates of the funds released during previous years and submit the proposals for the current year by May 15, 2016, the statement added.
Fodder in India is sourced from crop residues, forages and forests, permanent pastures and grazing lands.
