New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz today reviewed the status of 65 irrigation projects under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme in 31 identified farmers suicide-prone districts and appealed to the states to speed up work to overcome the problems faced by the farmers.

Chairing a meeting of the Irrigation Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala Prof Soz told mediapersons that he had offered technical support available with his Ministry to the states and exhorted them to secure technical clearance for the projects.

He Soz said the states should avail the funds earmarked for the major and medium schemes under AIBP. Various Central Government organisations like Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board are willing to extend technical support to the states. "All of us are prepared to work overtime to help the states which should utilise this opportunity to get required clearances", he said.

Prof Soz said the Prime Minister was much concerned about the difficulties faced by the farmers and that was the reason he had asked him to take stock of the situation. Minister of State for Prime Ministers Office Prithviraj Chauhan and the Irrigation Ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka attended the meeting.

The water resources minister said food security was an issue that was haunting the country. The population of the country was likely to touch 1.6 billion by 2040 and to meet the demand, the food grain