Odisha: Rs 67.52 lakh sanctioned to feed stray animals during lockdown

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday sanctioned an amount of Rs 67.52 lakh from chief minister's relief fund (CMRF) to feed stray animals in urban areas of the state during the extended lockdown period.
The Bhubaneswar municipal corporation (BMC) will spend Rs 20,000 per day, while Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur municipal corporations each can spend Rs 10,000 per day. The state has 48 municipalities and 61 notified area councils (NACs). Each municipality and NAC can spend Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,000 per day respectively.
The chief minister had earlier sanctioned Rs 1.13 crore this year in two phases for this purpose. This initiative is to help thousands of stray animals in the state who may face difficulties to get food during lockdown.
During the initial stage of lockdown starting from May 5 this year, the housing and urban development department of the state had urged the urban local bodies (ULBs) to take up the feeding of stray animals during the lockdown period.
The ULBs are advised to meet the expenditures out of the funds available with them from various sources including own source revenue or subject to recoupment from the special relief commissioner (SRC) or chief minister’s relief fund (CMRF) sources.
ULBs may co-opt and partner with organisations working for animal welfare in their ULBs. The government had also started this initiative during the first wave of Covid-19 last year to feed stray animals during the lockdown period.
Besides, Cuttack municipal corporation (CMC) has received Rs 15 crore from CMRF for Covid management. The chief minister on Thursday sanctioned this money from the CMRF. Earlier, CMC had received Rs 26.71 crore for this purpose. With this, CMC got Rs 41.71 crore for Covid management, official sources said.