Assistance for Fodder to Mitigate the Adverse Impacts of Drought in Drought Affected States

NEW DELHI: The State Government is primarily responsible for taking necessary relief measures in the wake of natural calamities. Government of India supplements efforts of State Government with financial assistance and logistic support. For undertaking relief measures, funds are available with the State Government in the form of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Additional financial assistance, over and above SDRF, is considered from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of sever nature and is approved on the basis of Memorandum received from State Government in accordance with established procedure.

During the year 2015-16, Government of Karantaka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odhisa, Telegana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan had declared drought in several parts of these states.

The Government of Maharashtra has declared drought in 21 districts covering 15,747 villages and submitted memorandum to Government of India seeking financial assistance under the National Disaster Relief Funds (NDRF). Government of India, considering the recommendation, approved Rs. 3049.36 crores from NDRF including Rs. 23.00 crores for fodder.

Further, Department of Agriculture Co-operation and Farmers Welfare is implementing Additional Fodder Development Programme (AFDP) as a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought in drought affected States from 2014-15 which is continuing during the current year 2016-17 with a budgetary allocation of Rs.100 crores.

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries is implementing, National Livestock Mission (NLM) with a budgetary allocation of Rs.292 crores during the year 2016-17 with a sub-Mission on Feed and Fodder Development where financial assistance is also being provided to all States/UTs.

The Department is implementing following schemes for dairy development in the country which also help in earning livelihood to the farmers during drought:

(i) National Programme on Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development.

(ii) National Dairy Plan (Phase I)

(iii) Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture and farmers Welfare, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan in Rajya Sabha on Friday