Maharashtra: Fadnavis promises ponds in each farm in drought-hit villages

On the second day of his drought-hit Marathwada tour, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said the government will tweak the existing norms to ensure more farm ponds that have proved to be a boon in a drought-like situation in many districts.

On the second day of his drought-hit Marathwada tour, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said the government will tweak the existing norms to ensure more farm ponds that have proved to be a boon in a drought-like situation in many districts.

He also announced to relax norms for the cattle camps in the drought-hit villages in Marathwada.

Fadnavis visited villages in Osmanabad and Beed, facing an acute shortage of water and reeling under the fear of the crop loss. Fadnavis also announced relaxing the norms to start cattle camps from the minimum 500 to 250 animals.

“We have planned 1.5 lakh farm ponds that have proved fruitful in the watershed management programme. We are aiming to construct a pond in every farm in the area. This will help raise water stock for farming and also help in employment generation,” Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis interacted with groups of farmers in many villages in Bhoom, Paranda and Domgaon in Osmanabad on Wednesday.

He said the state government was undertaking all the possible measures to fight the drought and it is compassionate with the farmers. He said the government will bring fodder from neighbouring Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh if need be.