Pune (Maharashtra) [India], November 30 (ANI): Addressing the Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS) National Convention 2024, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis highlighted the alarming decline in groundwater levels, emphasising that farmers' suicides can only be addressed through water conservation and resolving the state's water scarcity issues.

Defending government initiatives, Fadnavis stated that, according to data released by the Centre, Maharashtra is the only state that has recently witnessed a rise in its water table.

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"We cannot put an end to farmers' suicides until we resolve water issues. Maharashtra has consistently faced a 50 per cent water deficit, and water conservation is the only solution to this crisis," Fadnavis said.

"In 2020, the central government produced a water table report that painted a very alarming picture. The water table had declined in all states across India, except Maharashtra, where it had risen. I believe the credit for this goes to the BJS, Aamir Khan's Paani Foundation, and Nana Patekar's Naam Foundation," he added.

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Farmers' suicides remain a significant concern in Maharashtra. During the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls, farmers expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of adequate support from government authorities.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, Maharashtra accounted for 37.6 per cent of all farmer suicides in the country in 2022. (ANI)

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