Fadnavis' Marathwada Water Grid Project brings hope for drought facing Marathawada
PTC News Desk: As Maharashtra's Marathawada region has been gripped by acute water crisis, Devendra Fadnavis' the Marathwada Water Grid Project has emerging as a promising solution to provide sustainable water network.
The project was announced in 2016 with an initial budget of Rs 25,000 crore with an objective of providing the region with long term solutions. The project is expected to link 11 major dams in across Marathawada with pipelines to provide surplus water distribution in those areas where scarcity prevails. In 2019, Fadnavis manages to secure 4,300 crore for the first phase covering Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalna districts However political turmoil led to the delay when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government took over.
To ensure the project is streamlined, Israel's water national company Mekorot signed an MoU with Maharashtra government to provide technical assistance. In 2023, the proposal was submitted to Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) to ensure equitable water distribution across the state. Central government also provided assistance of Rs 20,000 crore for the project.
The Marathwada Water Grid is part of a larger water management project initiated by Fadnavis which also includes certain other projects such as the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan which focuses on revitalizing local water bodies and enhancing groundwater conservation, while the Nar-Par-Girna River-Linking Project aims to transport excess water from the Nar-Par-Girna rivers to areas in North Maharashtra that are suffering from drought.
Water scarcity in Marathawada region has impacted the community both socially and economically. The rural areas which are largely agriculture dependent are facing failed crops and massive debts due to the scarcity of water. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) states that Maharashtra accounts for 38% of all farmer suicides in India. From 1995 to 2013, there were 60,750 cases of farmer suicides. Between 2004 and 2013, roughly 10 farmers took their own lives each day. Ongoing issues like water shortages, crop failures, and financial pressures have driven many farmers into despair.
A notable reminder of the crisis was the "Latur water train" in 2016. At the time, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis initiated a project to transport water by rail to Latur City, offering essential relief. Fadnavis, who held the Chief Minister position from 2014 to 2019, implemented significant measures to tackle the water challenges in Marathwada.
- PTC NEWS
