Water woes example of BJP, Mahayuti's failure to provide solutions: Cong

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra of creating a water crisis in Marathwada and said the region's water woes remain a glaring example of its inadequate planning and failure to provide sustainable solutions.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Mahayuti's "six-step guide to creating a water crisis" includes delayed implementation of a water grid.

Despite launching the ambitious Marathwada Water Grid Project in 2019, the BJP-led government failed to ensure its timely execution, he said in his post on X.

Ramesh said that after returning to power by horse-trading in 2022, the Mahayuti revived the Water Grid Project but its execution continues to be slow, with no substantial relief provided to Marathwada's water-scarce regions so far. 

The government's focus on securing Rs 20,000 crore from the central government and international organisations has delayed the scheme's implementation on the ground, the Congress leader said.

He also alleged that there was a failure on the part of the Mahayuti government to address the issue of unpredictable rainfall.

"Initiatives like Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan and other irrigation schemes failed to mitigate the recurring droughts or support agricultural resilience in the face of erratic rainfall," Ramesh said.

Accusing the Mahayuti government of "short-termist crisis management", Ramesh said the BJP's response, including temporary measures like the 2016 "Latur water train," was insufficient to address the systemic causes of the crisis.

He also accused the Mahayuti government of having inconsistent political priorities.

"Bureaucratic delays and shifting priorities under successive BJP-led administrations have deepened the water crisis instead of resolving it," Ramesh said.

"Marathwada's water woes remain a glaring example of BJP's and Mahayuti's inadequate planning and failure to provide sustainable solutions," he said.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance comprises Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprises the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

Ramesh's remarks come a day before the voting for Maharashtra Assembly elections. The results will be out on November 23.