State BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya advised Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to rise over politics and extend all possible help to the drought-ravaged people of Bundelkhand dying for want of food and water.
“It is not the time to do politics over the issue. The need of the hour is to ensure adequate and prompt help to the unfortunate people of Bundelkhand. Unfortunately, the state government has failed in this primary task,” Maurya said in a written statement issued in lucknow on Thursday.
Maurya said that the state government has said that it does not need help from the Centre to quench the thirst the people. "If the Centre has sent a train to ferry water, the state government should appreciate the gesture and use the opportunity to provide adequate water to parched Bundelkhand, said the BJP chief.
“The state government claims that water was being sent to villages of Mahoba and Banda through tankers. But where are these tankers IJ The government also claims that it has spent Rs 300 crores for renovation of wells. So where are these wells IJ Where has all the money gone IJ The Chief Minister should ask this question to his ministers instead of questioning the Centre’s intentions,” he said.
Hitting out at the UP government, Maurya said that the Centre had so far sent Rs 867 crores to combat drought in Bundelkhand. "But so far only Rs 52 crores have been distributed. The CM went to Bundelkhand twice to distribute food packets but still a farmer died of hunger in Banda two days back," he pointed out.
“A pronounced problem with the SP government is about its delivery system. The officers are not working efficiently and the ministers are not bothered about the truant officers. This nexus is taking a heavy toll on the lives of the people of Bundelkhand,” the state BJP chief charged