Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will spearhead a major campaign aimed at making Vidarbha a farmer suicide-free region through a two-day water conservation conclave in Nagpur on May 17 and 18. The event will see participation from actor Aamir Khan of Paani Foundation, as well as actors Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure of Naam Foundation.
Silver Jubilee Celebration
The conclave marks the silver jubilee of Purti Sinchan Samruddhi Kalyankari Sanstha, an organization that has been working tirelessly to alleviate the problems faced by farmers in the region. Addressing reporters on Sunday, Gadkari highlighted that thousands of farmers in Vidarbha have died by suicide over the years due to water scarcity, lack of irrigation, and crop uncertainty. He emphasized that water conservation remains the only sustainable solution to this crisis.
"The amount of rainfall is not in our hands, but water conservation certainly is," Gadkari said, underscoring the need for proactive measures.
Water Grid and River-Linking
Gadkari advocated for the creation of a water grid or river-linking system to transfer excess floodwater from water-rich regions to drought-prone areas. He pointed out that many rivers overflow during the monsoon season while several parts of Vidarbha simultaneously suffer from severe water scarcity. "The mission that all of us have chosen together, to end farmer suicides in Vidarbha, I request you all to cooperate in accomplishing that mission," he urged.
Two Key Events
The conclave will feature two major events. The first, Nagpur Jalsamvad 2026, will be held on May 17 at Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall, beginning at 4 pm. This event will focus on water conservation as a solution to farmer suicides. Distinguished attendees include Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, Padma Shri awardees Umashankar Pandey and Sethpal Singh, and state ministers Ashish Jaiswal and Pankaj Bhoyar.
The second event, Jalkranti Parishad, will take place on May 18 at Kavivarya Suresh Bhat Sabhagruha, starting at 10 am. Actors Aamir Khan, Nana Patekar, and Makarand Anaspure will join state Soil and Water Conservation Minister Sanjay Rathod, Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) Vice Chancellor Dr Sharad Gadakh, and Gondwana University Vice Chancellor Dr Prashant Bokare. Farmers and sarpanchs from across Vidarbha are expected to attend in large numbers.
Expo and Successful Models
An expo featuring models ranging from small check dams to large-scale conservation projects will also be on display. Gadkari highlighted the Sanstha's Tamsawada Pattern, which revived a near-dead 12-kilometer stream in Selu taluka. This initiative brought over 10,000 hectares under irrigation and made more than 60 villages drought-free, directly benefiting nearly 1 lakh citizens.
He also cited the Buldhana Pattern, under which 35 farm ponds were created at PDKV in Akola by supplying soil for National Highway 53 construction. This saved the government an estimated Rs 30 crore. Referring to the Buldhana-Ajanta region, where nearly 17,000 people once migrated every summer due to drought, Gadkari noted that farmers there now grow multiple crops annually following river deepening and dam expansion works.
