NEW DELHI — The Department of Rural Development and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying have jointly issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories to strengthen fodder security, pasture development and livestock-supportive infrastructure through convergence under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) — the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 — the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said on Thursday.

Source: PIB Delhi, 5 Nov 2026 (Release ID 2332844)

The initiative is aimed particularly at small and marginal farmers and landless families dependent on livestock and dairy activities. The VB–G RAM G Act, which came into force on 1 July 2026, provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per rural household and focuses on creating durable assets across four thematic areas, including livelihood-related infrastructure and mitigation of extreme weather events, PIB said.

Source: PIB, 5 Nov 2026

The 22 works cover fodder cultivation for individual households and communities; development of community fodder resources, pastures, grazing lands and silvipasture; fodder storage facilities, fodder banks and silage units; construction, repair and maintenance of cattle, goat, piggery and poultry shelters; construction and repair of community milk collection centres and community veterinary health centres; community cattle and animal troughs; and Azolla tanks for individual beneficiaries, according to the advisory reported by PIB and IANS.

Source: IANS via The Freedom Press, 5 Nov 2026

Planning is to be decentralised and led by Panchayati Raj Institutions, with fodder and livestock works integrated into Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans aligned with priorities approved through the Gram Sabha. States are encouraged to progressively increase expenditure on these works towards at least 5 per cent of total programme expenditure, and Gram Panchayats where more than 30 per cent of the population is livestock-dependent may be given particular attention. State-specific Fodder Resource Development Plans prepared by the ICAR–Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute may guide district and block planning, PIB said.

Source: PIB, 5 Nov 2026

States and UTs have been asked to prepare comprehensive State Action Plans through convergence among the Rural Development, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture and other departments. The advisory reiterates statutory safeguards under the Act, including compulsory social audit, a district-level ceiling of 40 per cent on the material component, weekly public disclosure and grievance redressal, and urges states to disseminate it to departments, Panchayati Raj Institutions and field functionaries, PIB said.

Source: PIB, 5 Nov 2026