Jalyukt Shivar a failure, more tankers in use: Congress

Mumbai: Congress has claimed that the state government’s much-vaunted Jalyukt Shivar has not improved the water situation in the state. To support its claim, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant drew a comparison between average rainfall and the presence of water supply tankers in 2014 and the current year. Fewer tankers were supplying water in 2014 despite there being lower rainfall, which proves that the scheme is a flop on the ground, he claimed.  

“This year, the state received 74.3 per cent rainfall. But till November 17, 2018, 715 tankers in total were supplying water to various regions. In 2014, the state received 70.2 per cent rain, which is lesser than 2014, but only 71 tankers were supplying water at the time  In 2015, the state had received just 59.4 per cent rainfall. This was much lower than in 2018. But even then, only 693 tankers were supplying water. So, these numbers reveal to us that the so-called claims of Jalyukt Shivar are fake and fabricated,” said Mr Sawant.

Congress has been raising questions on the efficacy of the Jalyukt Shivar scheme for the past one month. It has sought an inquiry into the spending of '7,500 crore for the past four years in this scheme alone. The state government has claimed that the scheme has changed the water story of Maharashtra for all time.

“The state government is trying to avoid giving details of the Jalyukt Shivar. It is not mentioning the locations of the wells and farm ponds that it claimed to have built in past four years. It is getting exposed every day with regards to the Jalyukta Shivar scheme,” said Mr Sawant.

State BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhayay accused the Congress of “maligning” the state government and misleading the people over quantum of tankers in service to tackle drought. “If Mr Sawant had provided the number of tankers in the month of May when the drinking water scarcity is at its peak, he would have known that Jalyukt Shivar scheme was a success,” he said.