MLA fund can now be used for fodder camps, drought relief measures

Mumbai, May 22: The government today released the GR for utilizing MLA Local Development Fund for drought relief measures in view of the severe drought in the state and to overcome it. The fund can be used for providing facilities in fodder camps and this is the most significant provision made, said MoS Agriculture Sadabhau Khot here today.

Khot said that the difficulties in fodder camps were noticed during the visit to Aurangabad district drought situation. The fodder could be saved on wastage if given in buckets or tubs. It was also noted that plastic tanks should be provided for proper storing of water. In view of this and other demands the Finance Minister was approached for remedial steps. The Finance Minister acted immediately on this demand and issued directives for immediate action. The GR is issued today in this regard. Shri Khot thanked the Finance Minister for this gesture.

Approval is granted to take up 13 different types of works from Rs 25 lakh admissible under the MLA Local Development Fund. These include temporary water supply schemes, new tap water connections, repairs of pipelines of tap water supply schemes and water storage tanks, deepening of wells, removing the silts from them, new Vindhan wells, regular wells, special repairs of Vindhan Wells, setting feeder for water supply schemes, etc.

Purchasing buckets and tubs for giving fodder to animals in fodder camps, to set up plastic storage tanks for water storage, erecting shed for authorized ‘gaushalas’, supplying necessary material for the  water availability, to provide medicines and material to PHCs and Sub PHCs for water purification, to provide necessary material to government and local self-government body’s schools for water supply, to set up R O plants, to provide medicines and material to anganwadi centers for pure potable water supply and other such works.  Approval is granted to spend money for such works from the local development fund.