Gadkari to Spearhead Water Conservation Conclave to Combat Farmer Suicides in Vidarbha Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced plans to lead a two-day water conservation conclave in Nagpur on May 17 and 18, aimed at addressing the crisis of farmer suicides in Vidarbha. The event, coinciding with the silver jubilee of the Purti Sinchan Samruddhi Kalyankari Sanstha, will bring together government officials, activists, and celebrities to discuss sustainable solutions for water scarcity, a key driver of agricultural distress in the region. Actor Aamir Khan, representing the Paani Foundation, and actors Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure of the Naam Foundation will participate, alongside state ministers and experts. Gadkari emphasized that water conservation is the only viable solution to the ongoing crisis, citing the devastating impact of prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall on farmers. He highlighted that thousands of farmers in Vidarbha have died by suicide over the years due to crop failures and lack of irrigation. “The amount of rainfall is not in our hands, but water conservation certainly is,” he stated during a press briefing. The minister proposed the creation of a water grid or river-linking system to redirect excess floodwater from surplus regions to drought-prone areas, addressing the imbalance between monsoon-fed rivers and parched farmlands. The conclave will feature two main events. The Nagpur Jalsamvad 2026 on May 17 will focus on water conservation strategies, with participation from Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, Padma Shri awardees Umashankar Pandey and Sethpal Singh, and state ministers Ashish Jaiswal and Pankaj Bhoyar.#nitin_gadkari #aamir_khan #vidarbha #purti_sinchan_sanstha #naam_foundation
