'Jal Abhiyan' from May 1

'Jal Abhiyan', a peoples' movement at Taluka level, would be started from May 1 in Maharashtra's 352 villages to focus on water scarcity and ways to tide over the problem in the state.

'Jal Abhiyan', a peoples' movement at Taluka level, would be started from May 1 in Maharashtra's 352 villages to focus on water scarcity and ways to tide over the problem in the state.

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"There is no lack of water, but lack of planning. The country has 4,000 small and major dams, of which 1,500 are in Maharashtra alone. But still, our state remains thirsty", former member of planning commission Prof H M Desarda told reporters.

Desarda criticised Central government's river connecting project and described it as 'unscientific'. Alleging that "the project has been planned to earn money", he said connecting of rivers is not connecting of pipeline. "The Centre wants to divert peoples' attention through this programme", Desarda alleged.