The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will come out with a separate water supply policy/scheme for villages falling under the saline water belt across the State. The policy will look to provide potable water to the most affected areas of Akola, Amravati and Buldana districts.
At a meeting in Nagpur this week, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the issue must be addressed immediately and directed State officials to take steps to formulate the scheme.
“The CM said this issue is not related to Akola alone but also includes areas of Amravati and Buldhana, among other districts. That is why is has become imperative to formulate a separate integrated policy to provide potable water to all the villages falling under this saline water belt,” said a senior government official. The meeting was attended by local MLAs Gopikishan Bajoria, Prakash Bharsakale, Randhir Sawarkar, and Nitin Deshmukh.
The CM also reviewed ongoing works in Akola, Amravati and Buldhana. He said he would personally look into the Purna Barrage completion as it was important for irrigation. He directed the officers to find ways to complete this project at the earliest.
He also suggested that they take just decisions to resolve the issue of Gunthewari (underdeveloped) land for construction of houses under PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna) and added that difficulties in PMAY will be addressed at a State-level review of the scheme.
The Chief Minister directed the officers to convene a meeting to discuss schemes like crop insurance, Nanaji Deshmukh Krushi Sanjivani Project. He asked the MLAs to keep him informed of issues in districts from time to time.
“He directed us to resume and complete the “Kolhapur-type” bund (retaining wall) works in Patur taluka and other parts of the region,” said an official.
