Chandrapur begins fodder sowing drive; Guardian Minister Uike urges early water, fodder planning

The district-level fodder sowing campaign in Chandrapur district began on Friday. It was launched by sowing maize fodder in a pond at Ashti (Kakde) village in Bhadravati taluka. State Tribal Development Minister and Chandrapur Guardian Minister Dr Ashok Uike inaugurated the campaign.

Dr Uike said drought-like conditions had developed across Maharashtra and it was essential to keep livestock alive. He expressed confidence that if fodder and water for animals were arranged properly from now, the situation would be brought under control with people's participation.

Warora MLA Karan Deotale, District Collector Vasumana Pant, Chief Executive Officer Pulkit Singh and Bhadravati Block Development Officer Ashutosh Sapkal were present at the event.

The Guardian Minister said fodder was being grown through women's self-help groups in five former malguzari (Mama) tanks and minor irrigation tanks in the district. This would also strengthen the finances of the self-help groups. He said fodder sowing campaigns would be held at other places in the district as well, to turn the effort into a people's movement. Every person in a village should feel that the campaign was for their own livestock, he said.

Dr Uike said a movement is built only through public participation. "Today the minister, the MLA, the Collector and the CEO have all come to your village to inaugurate fodder sowing. Fodder sowing is not just a word; it is of great importance, and people should understand its seriousness," he said. He said other villages should follow this village's example in fodder sowing and arranging water. When women come forward, change certainly follows, he said. He appealed that Chandrapur district should lead Maharashtra in fodder sowing and water arrangements.

MLA Karan Deotale said a plan had been drawn up in his constituency to deal with the shortage of water and fodder, and urged villagers to support the administration. He expressed confidence that the shortage of fodder and water would be brought under control despite the drought conditions.

Earlier, Dr Suhas Rode, Assistant Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry Department, and livestock development officers Dr Satish Agadte and Dr Pramod Jallewar gave information. They spoke about making poor-quality fodder nutritious, with demonstrations of silage and azolla, and about a fodder literacy campaign and a promotion scheme. Free fodder seed and cuttings were distributed to people on the occasion. The district-level launch was completed with the Guardian Minister sowing maize fodder seed.

Block Development Officer Ashutosh Sapkal introduced the programme. Extension Officer Pranali Bhagwat conducted it, and Dr Satish Agadte proposed the vote of thanks. Farmers of the taluka, women's self-help groups, women from the area federation and other residents attended.