Nagpur: With the drought situation likely to worsen in the coming months, the state govt is planning to create a fodder reserve in Vidarbha and other parts of Maharashtra.Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who chairs the cabinet sub-committee on drought, said the govt had started work on an eight-month plan to tackle the situation.“Vidarbha has large forest areas. By providing fodder seeds to forest departments and developing grassland there, fodder can be supplied district-wise,” he told reporters in Nagpur. Bawankule met forest officers on Sunday and said funds would be provided for the initiative. Areas around catchment zones and backwaters would also be used for fodder cultivation.Bawankule, who conducted a ground survey of drought-hit areas, said kharif crops had suffered damage and fodder scarcity could become a major problem. The govt has activated two schemes to augment fodder availability.“Under Maa Jijau Mahila Sakshamikaran Yojana and Vairan Vikas Karyakram, we are planning fodder cultivation in areas where the soil has sufficient moisture,” Bawankule said.TOI on Monday reported that parts of Marathwada, including Beed and Jalna, had fewer than 65 days of fodder stock left as of Sept 30, with agriculture experts calling for immediate govt intervention.Bawankule said drinking water would remain the top priority. The govt has assessed the requirements of each city before deciding how much water can be released from reservoirs.“We have assessed how much water each city will need for the next eight months. Water will not be released beyond that. Drinking water is the priority,” he said.
