Come out of festive mode to help farmers amid drought in MP: Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Sunday said the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government needs to come out of the "festive mode" and take immediate steps to provide relief to farmers in view of the drought situation looming large in the state due to scanty rainfall.

Nath's statement comes a day after Chouhan urged people of the state to pray for rains as reservoirs in the state are yet to be filled.

In a post written on 'X' (formerly Twitter), Nath said this time there is a severe drought situation in Madhya Pradesh.

Most parts of the state have received inadequate rainfall. The reservoirs are yet to be filled completely. The crops are drying up. Most of the farmers in the state are getting directly affected by this, he said. "I demand the chief minister to come out of the festive mode and immediately start carrying out a survey and make arrangements to provide relief to farmers," the Congress leader said.

Nath added that the chief minister's statement seemed more like a ploy to convert the disaster into an opportunity than facing the challenge. "The people of the state have seen in the past also that the Shivraj government turns disaster into an opportunity in its own interest and creates terror for the public. People need genuine intentions, not false promises," he said. Expressing concern over the inadequate rainfall in the state, CM Chouhan, while addressing a function to inaugurate Deendayal kitchens on Saturday, urged the people to pray for good rains. "Dams are not filled and the power demand has been on the rise," the chief minister said, adding that necessary arrangements are being made.

During his speech at the launch of the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' in Satna district on Sunday, Chouhan again talked about the state witnessing scanty rainfall so far this year.

There has been no rainfall since the past one month and farmers are facing problems. But, the farmers need not to worry as the state government will make all arrangements for them to overcome this situation, he added.