Despite 75 years of independence, India still plagued with water and power shortage: KCR

There is abundant water and India’s vast lands are suitable for cultivation much more than those in China and the United States, said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao

Nanded: Ripping apart both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party for failing to ensure welfare of farmers, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said despite 75 years of independence, India was still plagued with water and power shortage.

Reiterating that India was replete with natural resources, he said there was abundant water and the country’s vast lands were suitable for cultivation much more than those in China and the United States.

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Every year, there was provision of about 75,000 tmc of water and of this, only 19,000 tmc was being utilized. Nearly 50,000 tmc was flowing down into the Bay of Bengal. Similarly, there were 361 billion tonnes of coal reserves with which 24 hours quality power can be supplied for 125 years, he explained.

Yet the farmers were deprived of water and power for agriculture. When the country was blessed with resources, the Prime Minister at the Centre and the Chief Minister in Maharashtra, with their lack of vision, were becoming hurdles in ensuring optimum utility of these resources, he said.

“Fight with me, I assure you water will be supplied to every acre,” Chandrashekhar Rao said at the BRS meeting in Nanded on Sunday amidst ‘Desh ki Netha kaisa ho, KCR jaisa Ho’ slogans from the audience.

The Congress ruled the country for 54 years and BJP has been ruling for about 16 years. Yet there was no substantial difference or development. There could have been some difference for some political parties and leaders, but the fate of people, especially farmers has not changed, he pointed out.

All these aspects have to be discussed with family and friends and there should be debates in villages, he said.

“The key is our vote and unity. We have the ability to rule the nation, show your strength,” Chandrashekhar Rao said, pointing out that as people continue to fight on caste and religion-based issues and stay divided, farmers would continue to die by suicide.

“The only mantra is farmers have to stay united and form a team to fight against these parties, which have taken the farming community for granted,” he said.