Congress wants white paper on drought

The Congress on Wednesday demanded a “white paper” on the drought situation in the country and efforts to tackle it in the backdrop of the Supreme Court castigating the government on the issue.

“The government has till date not come out with a single comprehensive statement, leave apart managing the severe drought situation on the ground. The Congress demands a white paper comprising the actual situation of the drought and the steps taken thereto,” party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

He said that as per the agriculture minister’s own admission, there is a severe drought-like situation in many districts and, on an average, 90 farmers are committing suicide every week in 2016.

“The shamelessness of the Modi government is on full display when Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh tries to play down the effect of this calamity and says that the media is exaggerating the situation,” Mr Singhvi said.

In drought-hit Maharashtra alone, especially in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, nine farmers commit suicide every day, he said, adding that 3,228 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra in 2015, the highest since 2001.

India is facing the worst water crisis in a decade with 91 major reservoirs having no more than 29 per cent water, he said.