Delay in finishing irrigation projects led to crisis, declare drought now: NCP

Party slams govt, terms Jalyukt Shivar ‘bogus’; state says it’s performing better than CONGNCP

MUMBAI : Demanding immediate declaration of drought in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lambasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp)-led state government for “poorly” handling drought and water scarcity. As many as 180 tehsils of the state are staring at drought this year where the state government has declared drought-like situation.

Former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said delay in completing irrigation projects in the name of ‘investigation’ has led to farmers suffering. He said the irrigation potential of the state, which is at 18%, could have reached 40%. Dhananjay Munde, leader of opposition in the Council, alleged the Jalyukt Shivar, flagship scheme of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for water conservation, had proved to be “bogus” as groundwater table has reduced by more than a metre.

“Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari once told me he is ready to provide funds of Rs1 lakh crore to the state government for completing pending irrigation projects through irrigation development corporations, but because of the laid-back attitude of the state, the money could not be disbursed,” Pawar said.

Munde said, “The fresh report of Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA) has found the groundwater table in the state has further reduced by more than a metre. This proves that the water conservation scheme — Jalyukt Shivar of CM Fadnavis is bogus and he should apologise to the people.”

Responding to the opposition, state relief and rehabilitation minister Chandrakant Patil said,“congress-led government had announced 6,201 and 3,356 villages drought-hit in 2011 and 2012 respectively and that too in January next year. The Congress had paid out ₹7,600 crore towards loan waiver in 2008-09, against which we have disbursed ₹21,500 crore. Farmers were given compensation of ₹12,000 crore from crop insurance in four years, against ₹7,600 crore given in 15 years of Congress-led rule”.