Aimed at developing national capital’s urbanised villages, Lieutenant Governor Delhi VK Saxena on Saturday launched the “Dilli Gramodaya Abhiyan” from the Jaunti Village in North-West Delhi.

To be funded and implemented by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, the campaign has an earmarked amount of more than Rs 800 crore to be utilised for creation and upgradation of basic infrastructure, livelihoods, scientific livestock management, healthcare, proper land use and water management among others across the Delhi’s villages.

Saxena said the Rs. 800-crore fund for village development in Delhi, which was never utilised in the past years, will now be used for development of these villages.

This ‘Dilli Gramodaya Abhiyan’ also aims at bringing about a qualitative change in the landscape and livelihood of the neglected, urbanized villages across the city.

The launch was marked by beginning of works for Delhi’s first grazing ground, which would cater to about 4,000 cattle in the area.

This, apart from providing cattle with nutritious fodder in a secure pasture, will also ensure they are not left as strays on roads to feed from garbage dumps.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, the LG said he had adopted Jaunti village earlier and expressed pleasure over the making of the grazing ground which will ensure safety and due respect to the animals and not leave them vulnerable on roads, that often causes accidents.

He further said that not only this village, but all the villages were important to him and gram sabha fund made available to DDA will be used to develop every village, and the scheme is being prepared for the same and will be implemented soon.

Meanwhile, a water body adjoining the grazing ground will also be cleaned, dredged, deepened and rejuvenated within a week.

The grazing ground will have a water channel on its periphery to ensure rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge.

Saplings of Moringa and nutritious grasses like Napier grass were also planted by the LG on the grazing ground.

Saxena issued instructions that the land should be levelled properly so that even the animals would not have any problem in reaching to the grazing ground and the nearby pond.

Launching the programme, the LG sat on steering of a tractor and ploughed a stretch of land and also sat on a JCB vehicle guiding the workmen in pruning the trees and clearing the waste.