Sharad Pawar meets CM Devendra Fadnavis to discuss drought

In a statement issued here later, Pawar said, “The information gathered from district officials point to a possibility of serious drinking water crisis for next five to six months. If we have good rains till September, things can improve. If rains fail, there is a possibility of serious water crisis across Marathwada.”

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He added, “Though 1,200 water tankers have been deployed, they are not adequate to meet the shortage. The government should provide more water tankers.”
The former Union minister also demanded setting up of fodder camps across drought region. He informed the chief minister that though 26,000 people were engaged in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) for livelihood, there was massive demand from Beed, Osmanabad, Hingoli and Parbhani district for daily wages under the Centre-state schemes.

The state government should expand the scope of MNREGA to accommodate larger number of people across Marathwada.

Pawar said the farmers who had sowed crops failed to reap the harvest, and that even the resowing failed.

The NCP leader also urged Fadnavis to ensure recovery of loans from farmers should also be stopped as they were reeling under financial stress. NCP leaders said they would raise this issue with the Centre too.

Fadnavis said his government would certainly consider the suggestions made by Pawar.

Earlier, during a review meeting, the government had decided to procure sugarcane from Karnataka to tackle fodder crisis in parts of Marathwada. It also plans to get water supply through train services to tide over drinking water problems.