Centre urges states to use rural jobs scheme to grow fodder and build cattle sheds

The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to use the rural employment guarantee law to grow more fodder and build cattle sheds, milk collection centres and veterinary facilities.

The Department of Rural Development and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying issued a joint advisory under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), known as VB–G RAM G. The Act came into force on 1 July 2026 and guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, with a focus on durable assets. The advisory aims to ease fodder scarcity and support small and marginal farmers and landless families who depend on livestock and dairy.

Which works qualify

The advisory picks 22 works from the 375 permissible under the Act. They include:

• fodder cultivation for households and communities, and community pastures, grazing lands and silvipasture;
• fodder banks, silage units and other fodder storage;
• shelters for cattle, goats, pigs and poultry, as specified in the approved list;
• community milk collection centres, veterinary health centres and animal troughs;
• Azolla tanks for individual beneficiaries.

What states are asked to do

• Fold fodder and livestock work into Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans approved by the Gram Sabha.
• Endeavour to raise spending on these works progressively towards at least 5 per cent of total programme expenditure, where local needs and approved plans support it.
• Give particular attention to Gram Panchayats where more than 30 per cent of the population depends on livestock.
• Prepare State Action Plans for fodder security with the rural development, animal husbandry and agriculture departments.
• Use the state-specific Fodder Resource Development Plans prepared by ICAR–Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute as guides.

Safeguards stay

All such works must follow the Act's rules, including Panchayati Raj-led planning, compulsory social audit, the 40 per cent district-level ceiling on the material component, beneficiary selection under Schedule I, weekly public disclosure and grievance redressal. States are asked to circulate the advisory to departments, panchayats and field staff.

---

Source: official release by the Ministry of Rural Development, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (05 NOV 2026 10:22AM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Department of Rural Development and DAHD Join Hands to Boost Fodder Production, Strengthen Livestock Infrastructure and Support Rural Livelihoods under VB–G RAM G.