The Hindu   10.08.2012

Ministers review water, fodder shortage

The government has issued instructions to the district Collectors to take immediate measures to prevent shortage of fodder and drinking water in areas with deficit rainfall.

These instructions were given during a videoconference with Collectors on Thursday. Revenue Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy, Agriculture Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana and Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister M. Mahidhar Reddy reviewed the seasonal conditions in the State.

Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said that while normal rainfall was recorded in 15 districts, Nalgonda, Anantapur, Visakhapatnam and Nizamabad districts received deficit rains while Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari and Hyderabad districts received more than normal rainfall.

However, he said that even in districts and mandals that recorded normal rainfall, cultivation could not be taken up uniformly. The Collectors, thus, should take village as unit for preparing alternative plans. There was shortage of over three lakh tonnes of fodder in the State and 11,000 quintals of fodder seed was kept ready, he said. Action would be taken against those officers who did not take up field visits, he added.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy had already requested for immediate Central assistance of Rs. 500 crore. To improve drinking water supply in villages, Rs. 45 crore was released from Calamity Relief Fund. Another Rs. 20 crore would be released for drinking water supply through tankers in urban areas, Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said.

Mr. Lakshminarayna said that 87 per cent of area had been brought under cultivation despite delayed rains. While different crops should have been raised in 57.8 lakh hectares by now, crops were raised in 56.54 lakh hectares. Majority of area was in dry lands compared to ayacut area.