Former Maharashtra minister Shivaji Rao Moghe on Thursday said the lack of irrigation in Yavatmal district in Vidarbha region was the main reason for the high farmer suicide rate. He said as many as 49 farmers had committed suicide in Yavatmal in September.
Addressing a press conference along with former Adilabad District Congress Committee president C. Ramchander Reddy, Mr. Moghe underscored the need for starting work on the inter-State Lower Penganga Project.
He said the project would irrigate as much as 2.27 lakh hectare of land in the backward Vidarbha region and in Adilabad district.
Accusing the BJP government in Maharashtra of soft pedalling on the issue of starting work, the Maharashtra Congress leader said the LPP has all mandatory clearances. He said the project would get the status of Central Project if it was an ongoing one, which is one of the three conditions set for according such a status.
Mr. Moghe said a rally and public meeting would be held at Pandharkawda, about 45 km from Adilabad headquarters town, under the banner of the Nimn Penganga Nirman and Punarvasan Samiti to create awareness among people in Vidarbha districts. He said the awareness level of common people in the region on the project and its various aspects, like compensation for land acquired, was low.
