Maharashtra earmarks 5 per cent of district funds for fodder schemes, bans interstate movement amid drought

The Maharashtra government has earmarked at least five per cent of district annual plan funds for fodderrelated schemes and restricted the use and movement of fodder to address shortages amid drought conditionsA government resolution GR issued by the Animal Husbandry Dairy Development and Fisheries Department on Friday directs district collectors to establish fodder banks set reference price ceilings for dry fodder and introduce biometric tracking at cattle campsThe measures follow recommendations by a study group headed by the Additional Chief Secretary Revenue which was formed to suggest ways to tackle fodder shortages caused by inadequate rainfall The Cabinet subcommittee on drought management accepted the grouprsquos report at a recent meetingDrought declared in 304 tehsilsThe state government has declared drought in 304 tehsils where Trigger1 and Trigger2 were activated during the 2026 Kharif season It has also constituted a statelevel task force under the chief secretary to coordinate water conservation efforts amid the possibility of an El Nino impactUnder the GR district collectors will make available at least five per cent of district annual plan funds with the approval of guardian ministers for schemes to increase fodder production conserve and improve existing fodder supplies and develop alternative sourcesThe Agriculture Department has been directed to ensure adequate availability of fodder seeds for the Rabi season Farmers and livestock owners will be encouraged to grow lowwateruse fodder crops that can be harvested more than onceGovernment identifies land for fodder cultivationThe government has proposed using land belonging to agricultural universities seed multiplication centres agricultural corporations and the Animal Husbandry Department for fodder cultivationFodder and grass available on forest land will also be harvested and stored for distribution to livestock owners as required the resolution statedDistrict collectors will facilitate fodder cultivation on harvested agricultural land and coordinate with farmer producer organisations farmer producer companies and voluntary groups to establish fodder banksThe GR has set reference price ceilings of up to Rs 12 per kg for dry fodder and Rs 8 per kg for silage excluding transportation costs Procurement will remain within these limits with preference given to dry fodder because of its longer shelf lifeFodder use restricted interstate movement prohibitedDuring drought conditions fodder cannot be used for purposes other than animal feed including packaging biofuel and power generationDistrict collectors have also been directed to impose a legal ban on the movement of fodder from droughtaffected border areas of Maharashtra to neighbouring states If local supplies are insufficient divisional commissioners animal husbandry officials and district collectors will coordinate to source fodder from adjoining districtsCattle camps to have digital monitoringTo improve transparency the government will develop a statelevel ldquoChara Chawani Monitoring and Management Systemrdquo to track fodder demand and availability cattle camp operations livestock records daily attendance veterinary services and expenditureCCTV surveillance and biometric or QRcodebased attendance will be mandatory at cattle camps Livestock must also be verified against records registered under the National Digital Livestock Missionrsquos Bharat Pashudhan systemDistrictlevel drought management committees will be restructured with guardian ministers heading review committees and district collectors leading executive committees responsible for overseeing implementationThe opening of fodder camps in specific revenue circles will depend on local livestock populations and fodder availabilityAlternative fodder sources and sugar mill supportThe resolution calls for wider use of alternative fodder sources including hydroponics and azolla It also proposes training livestock owners in fodder conservation and processingThe government has encouraged the use of corporate social responsibility CSR funds for fodder production equipment water supply and sanitation at cattle campsWith inputs from PTI