Expedite pending irrigation projects in Vidarbha: VED

A voluntary organisation working for development of Vidarbha has urged Maharashtra government to expedite the pending irrigation projects in the region.

In the last decade, only 13,207 hectares of land has got irrigated, which is only 2.38% of the total land meant for irrigation. However, about 54,628 hectares of fertile agricultural land should have been irrigated, Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED) president Devendra Parekh told reporters here.

If the projects are handled at this speed by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC), it will take more than 100 years to complete 45 projects, he claimed.

VED has also pointed out that 33 projects got initial permission and from these 4,56,185 hectares of land has come under irrigation. Another 53 projects are in the pipeline for getting permission.

Parekh alleged that in the last ten years agricultural produce worth several lakh crores was lost due to lack of irrigation facilities.

The state government should take cognisance of lack of irrigation facilities in Vidarbha and ensure speedy completion of projects to facilitate development of this backward region, Parekh said.

Another NGO, Lok Nayak Bapuji Aney Smarak Samiti, recently filed a PIL in the High Court here demanding speedy clearance and completion of the irrigation projects.