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.
