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Rajasthan gears up to fight worst famine in decade

Kamla Bora in Jaipur

The Rajasthan government has geared up to face the worst famine in a decade. It has set up a high level monitoring committee, headed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, to regularly review relief operations in the state.

Four task force committees, led by senior bureaucrats, have also been constituted for arranging drinking water, fodder, employment opportunities and controlling seasonal diseases in more than 23,000 famine affected villages in 26 districts of the state.

The decision to set up these committees was taken at a specially summoned meeting of ministers and bureaucrats at the chief minister's residence where the famine situation was reviewed on Sunday.

The government has already declared 23,406 villages as scarcity affected and suspended recovery of land revenue there. Recovery of cooperative bank loans has too been deferred by converting short- term loans into medium term advances.

All district collectors have been asked to start relief work in their respective areas to provide employment to famine affected people whose kharif and rabi crops failed due to failure of monsoon rains for the third consecutive year. By April end as many as four lakh persons are likely to be provided employment on relief works.

The committees to monitor relief operations were set up after the state government received flak from all corners for administrative failure in providing relief to distressed people. The final blow was struck by PCC chief Girija Vyas who told a press conference that there was 'apathy' among administrative officials in tackling famine. Within 24 hours of the PCC chief's criticism the chief minister got his act together and announced monitoring mechanism for famine relief operations.

The government is giving top priority to arrange drinking water supply in affected areas where all major surface sources of water are drying up, and making fodder available.

Since the state is facing famine for the third year in a row, local availability of fodder has depleted. The state government is now starting fodder depots in needy 21 districts, and taking the help of non-government organisations to running the fodder depots by providing them grants to meet transportation expenses. Non Resident Rajasthani philanthropists are also being approached for help in rushing fodder to save the cattle wealth.

Construction works are being sanctioned in famine affected areas to provide employment to the drought -hit people till next monsoon.

To tackle the large-scale migration of cattle from famine affected areas to neighbouring states, the government has set up camps en route to provide veterinary medical facilities and water for the moving herds of camels and sheep. In western Rajasthan, where bovines are being left to their fate in the wilderness, goshalas are being given grants in aid to look after such unclaimed cows.

To tackle seasonal diseases like cholera, gastroenteritis and measles, control rooms have been set up by medical and health department to keep a close vigil. Mobile teams of doctors and other paramedical staff have been attached to these control rooms in every district.

The central government has sanctioned Rs1.06 billion from the Natural Calamity Fund to Rajasathan to fight famine after a central study team visited the famine affected areas. However, the state government is seeking a central assistance of Rs11.44 billion to fight famine. The state had sought Rs 9.60 billion last year to tackle famine but got only Rs 210 million, Finance Minister Pradyuman Singh had told the state assembly in his budget speech.

EARLIER REPORT:

Udaipur faces a grim water crisis

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