Rahul Gandhi to hold padyatra in drought-hit Bundelkhand

New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to hold a padyatra in drought-hit Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday to meet drought affected farmers.

“Visiting Bundelkhand now on Sat, 23rd Jan. Will undertake a Kisan Padyatra in Mahoba District & meet drought affected farmers & their families,” the Congress vice president said in a tweet.

Rahul will arrive in Mahoba district of the Bundelkhand region by road and will walk six kilometres to hold meetings with farmers in Supa village.

The Congress vice-president will also hold meetings with the women self-help group at the Supa railway station.

Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand, a home to 18.3 million people, as per the 2011 census, is shattered with drought and unseasonable rains have destroyed standing winter crops in the region. Several farmers have committed suicide due to poor crop production in 13 districts in that comprise the region.

The promised compensation by the Uttar Pradesh government has not reached the farmers.

A month back, the Congress vice-president had visited western Uttar Pradesh to interact with sugarcane growers, hit hard due to failure of sugar mills to give their dues. (ANI)