31 Districts Face Crippling Fodder & Water Crisis; State Seeks Stubble Supply from Punjab, Haryana & MP

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-10-10 16:41:00

A worsening drought crisis has gripped the desert state of Rajasthan following significant monsoon deficits, triggering acute shortages of livestock fodder and drinking water across 31 out of the state's 41 administrative districts. In response to the escalating agrarian emergency, the Rajasthan state government has formally approached neighboring Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh to secure livestock fodder, urgently appealing to those administrations to divert crop residue and agricultural stubble for animal feed rather than allowing farm fires. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has mobilized emergency administrative machinery, ordering subsidized fodder depots, dedicated cattle camps, and continuous water tanker deployments through December 31 to safeguard livestock populations.

Rainfall Deficit Triggers Scarcity: 9 Districts Declared Severe, 22 Semi-Severe

A steep drop in seasonal precipitation has severely depleted surface reservoirs and pasture grazing lands across western and eastern belts alike:

Sharp Precipitation Plunge: Rajasthan recorded merely 351 mm of rainfall this monsoon season against the long-term normal baseline of 424.71 mm—a steep plunge compared to the 715.2 mm logged last year and 678.4 mm registered in 2024.

Nine High-Alert Districts in Severe Zone: The state administration has classified nine critically parched districts under the "severe" drought category, including Jaisalmer, Barmer, Balotra, Dausa, and Jodhpur.

Twenty-Two Districts in Semi-Severe Bracket: Another 22 districts—including Jaipur, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, and Jalore—have been placed in the "semi-severe" category due to dwindling ground reserves and drying village ponds.

Interstate Stubble Sourcing: Turning Farm Residue into Life-Saving Cattle Feed

To bridge the massive fodder deficit, the Rajasthan administration has launched a regional resource-sharing initiative:

Stubble Procurement Appeal: Rajasthan has formally reached out to the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, requesting them to bale and supply post-harvest paddy and cereal stubble as animal feed rather than burning agricultural residue.

Subsidized Depots and Relief Camps: Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma directed district administrations to set up subsidized fodder sales centers and open dedicated animal shelter camps in the hardest-hit rural pockets to prevent livestock distress sales.

Tanker Water Grid Active Till Year-End: Emergency drinking water supplies will be ferried to water-stressed villages, hamlets, and cattle sheds via a dedicated tanker fleet operational until December 31.

Ministers Dispatched on Ground Zero: In-charge ministers and departmental secretaries have been ordered to conduct immediate on-site inspections across their designated districts to oversee water provisioning and ensure fair fodder distribution without bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Previous Post

Tina Dabi's night Chaupal listened to villagers' problems and gave instructions to officials