By Sundeep Pouranik Bhopal, Feb 19 : Both the major national parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have made the shortage of irrigation water in Madhya Pradesh a political issue as Assembly elections are to be held in the state this year. Many areas in the state face a shortage of drinking water during summers along with the water for irrigation not being easily accessible to farmers. The water crisis continues in the state despite the campaign to provide tap water in every household and several irrigation projects being underway. About 43 lakh hectares area of the state has started getting irrigation water. Along with this, several pending projects can provide irrigation facility in another 20 lakh hectares in the next two years. At present, an irrigation complex being built in Chhindwara Narmada, the Narmada-Malwa Gambhir Link Project, Pancham Nagar irrigation Project of Damoh-Sagar, Bahoti Project of Rewa-Satna, Badnawar Narmada Micro Irrigation, Maa Ratangarh Multipurpose Project of Chambal area, the proposed Hanota Irrigation Project on Bina river, Rajgarh's Kundalia Irrigation Project and the Mohanpura Major Irrigation Project can ensure a major increase in the state's irrigated area upon implementation. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had called the increase in the irrigation sector as his major achievement and said that in 2003, the total area under irrigation from government sources in Madhya Pradesh was seven lakh hectares, which has now crossed 43 lakh hectares. Along with this, the government has set a target to increase it to 63 lakh hectares in the next two years, said Chouhan. On the other hand, the Congress has attacked the BJP government in the state many times regarding the crisis of irrigation water. Congress leaders, on several occasions have called Chouhan a "declaration hero," and have alleged that he does not work on the issues at the ground level. Bundelkhand Congress leader Virendra Dave will start a Cycle Yatra to interact with the people and talk about issues related to health, education and water, among others. Dave said that the Pancham Nagar irrigation project of Damoh district can bring a revolution in agriculture by providing water to the farmers and generating electricity. Under this project, water will reach the fields without electricity. Dave alleged that a commercial cement company in the area had not been cooperating and was creating hurdles in the project's completion. The Cycle Yatra will initially cover villages in Damoh parliamentary constituency before traversing the entire Bundelkhand region. The leaders might campaign in the entire state on the instructions of former Chief Minister and state Congress president Kamal Nath. Significantly, in the Assembly elections held in the state in 2018, there was a close contest between the BJP and the Congress. The Congress had won and formed the government in the state, which was dissolved later due to the defection of MLAs under the leadership of Jyotiraditya Scindia, after which the BJP rose to power again. A close fight is also expected in the Assembly polls to be held this year, where water will be a big poll issue. /IANS