Ensure fodder for livestock, minister tells officials

NT Correspondent

Mysuru: State animal husbandry, veterinary sciences and sericulture minister K Venkatesh on Friday directed officials to initiate all measures for supply of fodder to livestock in all the districts as drought is prevailing across the state.

Chairing a progress review meeting with officials of the animal husbandry and veterinary sciences department of Mysuru division, he said the government has already declared 226 taluks drought-hit andinitiated all measures to tackle drought including ensuring sufficient fodder and easing the drinking water crisis on top priority.

Officials must ensure fodder by restricting the movement of the same to other states. He also asked the officials to curb the lumpy skin disease among cattle with early intervention.

As his department is already distributing fodder seed kits in all districts to encourage farmers to cultivate fodder, he wanted the officials to distribute them among all needy farmers without any delay, not giving room to complaints.

The government has launched the Farmer Registration and a Unified beneficiary Information System (FRUITS) portal to organize and scrutinize the data of all agriculture related departments. The minister said the state has enough fodder stock for the next 22 weeks.