Perceptions about Marathwada

PARBHANI- The place where I was born. Recently had a short visit to my birthplace after a long gap of 10 years. I have been visiting Marathwada for the past 20 years and here are some general observation about the life and people living out there.

For all those non-Maharashtraians, Marathwada occupies the center space in the map of  Maharashtra comprising of Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Osmanabad and Latur districts.

My general perceptions about Marathwada are :

1.Very less or no industrial development in the area except Aurangabad, Latur and Nanded.  Aurangabad, Latur and Nanded have some what development but not that promising.

2.People are employed largely in agricultural sector and towns and cities employ public sector. Very few people employed with private sector.

3.Only one railway line passes through the region limiting the development. The railway line is not electrified and the passenger trains are subjected to delays over crossing due to single track thus wasting time, money and energy. Common man depends on railways and hence they are in poor state. It really frustrates me when the train stops for crossing at a rural station.

4.Life is too slow there. People tend to do work slowly as they have ample of time.

5.Road development is okay.

6.Agriculture development needs to be accelerated. The profit should reach the small farmers. Shortage of rainfall makes matters worse.

7.Water is scare here. Only one dam, Jayakwadi, near Paithan has benefited the area since independence. Rest all dams lay dried up creating huge shortage of drinking water. Canals lay dried up the whole year and water is released only for drinking purposes and not for agricultural purposes. Situation turns volatile in summers.

8. Water conservation should be promoted here at large scale here. Ground water resources are here so depleted that even a 250 ft. deep bore-well gets dried up here.

9.Social development is poor. The poor remain poor here.

10.This region is giving Chief-Ministers to Maharashtra for the past 15 years successively. Still no development?Politicians here gobble up all money and purchase huge tracts of land.

11.Young people have to work outside Marathwada in private sector. Money invested here by people here is earned from outside this area which spurts development in housing sector.

12. No or very little forest cover here. Agricultural sector has grabbed up all land here.

Still may points remain to be discussed. The views expressed are purely mine and if sentiments hurt by this post are deeply regretted.