Bengaluru/Hubballi: The government is gearing up to ensure supply of water to all schools to prepare and serve mid-day meals for hungry kids in the next 39 days in the wake of the severe drought. "We have asked all CEOs to supply water in tankers to government schools where there is scarcity. In case of non-availability, a provision has been made for the school authorities to buy water in tankers", a senior officer of the Department of Public Instruction told DC. A circular has been sent to CEOs of all ZPs soon after the government decided to provide mid-day meals till May end. Headmasters and senior teachers of all 27,000 government schools have been asked work during the summer vacation for which they will be given earned leave of over 25 days. Even cooks and supporting staff should report to their respective work spots for work in the next 39 days for which they will be paid salary. To save children the trouble of going all the way to their schools to have mid-day meals, the department has asked them to go to the nearest lower primary school where they can have food. Foodgrains and vessels have been kept ready at schools to launch the scheme. Usually, only 35-40 per cent of students come to schools during the vacation to have food. But, this time, the turnout may be more owing to acute shortage of water to prepare food.
No extra grains
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao ruled out additional supply of grain and pulses to BPL and Anthyodhaya card holders in view of drought. “They will get the quota fixed by the department,” he said, adding, even if there is migration of families from rural areas, their kin will collect grain from fair price depots.
Milk output not hit, up 20 per cent
While farmers, struggling to grow crops on their fields, are selling their cattle at throwaway prices owing to the drought and shortage of fodder, milk production is up by over 20 per cent this summer as compared to the last in the region.
It appears farmers, who opted for the dairy business owing to their losses in agriculture over the years, are doing just fine unlike their counterparts who have stuck to farming, as the government is giving them special incentives and the Dharwad Karnataka Milk Federation is supplying them regular cattle feed and other facilities, say officers associated with the industry.
The federation‘s milk procurement is 1,90,000 litres a day this April as against 1,70,000 litres in the same month last year, they reveal. The government has stepped in encouragingly to offer to buy the excess milk produced for its Ksheera Bhagya Yojane. Private milk brands too supply feed for cattle to the milk producing societies, to make sure they remain unaffected by drought, explain those in the know.
"Milk production usually falls in summer in the unorganized sector where farmers find it difficult to get fodder and drinking water for their cattle from the animal husbandry department . But farmers, who are members of well-organised milk producing societies, get the cattle feed and medical treatment they need from the federation. So their milk production is not affected by the drought in the region," explains Dr Veeresh Parli, head of procurement and input wing, KMF.
‘No fund crunch’
Battling one of the worst droughts Karnataka has faced in recent decades, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said funds should not be a constraint while carrying out relief work.
Speaking to mediapersons on his arrival at Mysuru airport, Mr Siddaramaiah said he had already toured seven districts and will be touring more districts on April 25, 26 and 27 and on May 2 and 3.
“We have formed four teams led by Mr T.B. Jayachandra for Mysuru division, Mr V. Srinivasprasad for Bengaluru Division, Mr H.K. Patil and Mr R.V. Deshpande. They are already touring the districts. Water, fodder for animals and providing employment are our priorities. The ministers are authorised to take spot decisions related to problems in drought hit areas,” he said.
