Marathwada Water Grid: Devendra Fadnavis's Vision For Water Security To Fight Farmer Suicides In Maharashtra

Marathwada, a region in Maharashtra, India, is facing a severe water crisis exacerbated by erratic rainfall, inadequate infrastructure, and inequitable water distribution.

For the predominantly rural population, water scarcity is more than a mere inconvenience—it threatens lives, livelihoods, and economic stability.

The Human Toll: Water scarcity and Farmer Suicides

Water scarcity in Marathwada is not merely a logistical issue but a profound social and economic burden. For rural communities dependent on agriculture, unreliable water supplies translate to failed crops and unmanageable debts, pushing families into cycles of poverty and loss.

According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Maharashtra accounts for 38 per cent of all farmer suicides in India.

From 1995 to 2013, 60,750 farmer suicides were recorded, with an annual average of nearly 3,700 suicides between 2004 and 2013—about 10 per day. The unyielding challenges of water scarcity, crop failures, and the resulting economic stress have driven many farmers to despair.

Water availability in Marathwada has been undermined by erratic rainfall patterns, with most of the region’s rain falling during the monsoon season. In 2023, Marathwada received only 589.9 mm of rainfall, a 21.44 per cent deficit from its annual average of 751 mm.

Drought declarations are not unusual in the region; last year alone, 42 talukas were declared drought-hit, 14 of which were in Marathwada. The effects of unseasonal rains in 2021 and 2022 worsened the crisis, damaging crops and putting additional strain on already vulnerable farmers.

One stark illustration of the crisis was the “Latur water train” in 2016. Led by then-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, this initiative transported water by rail to Latur City, offering relief during a dire time. Fadnavis, who served as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019, has been instrumental in addressing the water crisis in Marathwada.

Devendra Fadnavis: A Leadership Committed to Water Security

Under his leadership, the Marathwada Water Grid Project was conceived in 2019 as a transformative solution aimed at establishing a sustainable water distribution network across the drought-prone region.

The project’s strategic design goes beyond simply providing water; it introduces a sustainable model aimed at eliminating reliance on emergency measures by ensuring equitable distribution and building resilience against future droughts.

Fadnavis was the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra to pursue a comprehensive, long-term solution to Marathwada’s severe water crisis. However, shortly after the project’s announcement in 2019, Fadnavis’s term ended, resulting in a change in leadership.

Critical Setback As MVA Took Over

The project faced a significant slowdown under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which succeeded Fadnavis. Bureaucratic hurdles and shifts in political priorities stalled the Water Grid’s progress, leaving

Marathwada without the necessary infrastructure improvements that Fadnavis had envisioned. The delay proved to be a critical setback, especially as the region’s water scarcity grows more severe with each passing year.

Marathwada Water Grid Project Plan

The Project aims to link 11 major dams across the region through a network of large pipelines, ranging from 1.6 to 2.4 meters in circumference.

This system will establish a primary loop connecting the reservoirs, enabling water to be pumped from water-surplus dams to those with lower reserves.

Designed to function similarly to a power grid, the water grid will utilise pump houses and pipelines to transfer water from well-supplied reservoirs to treatment plants, and from there to water-scarce talukas in need of immediate relief.

A unique feature of this system is its flexibility: certain pipeline sections will allow reverse flows, ensuring that water-deficient talukas can be serviced by the nearest reservoir with surplus supply. A secondary pipeline network will extend to each of Marathwada’s 76 talukas, with water access points spaced every five to 10 kilometers, ensuring widespread coverage.

In future stages, the project plans to tap into additional water sources, including Konkan’s west-flowing rivers — which currently discharge freshwater into the Arabian Sea — and the Krishna basin that supplies western Maharashtra.

Importantly, the plan avoids large-scale land acquisition; pipelines will primarily be laid along existing highways where the state has the right of way. Where pipelines cross agricultural land, farmers will be compensated for any impact on standing crops, ensuring minimal disruption to local communities.

Under this plan, significant reservoirs, including Jayakwadi in Aurangabad, Yeldari in Parbhani, Siddheshwar in Hingoli, Majalgaon and Manjra in Beed, Lower Terna and Sina Kolegaon in Osmanabad, and Dhanegaon in Latur, will be linked.

By establishing connections among these dams, the project intends to transfer water from surplus areas to water-scarce locations, providing a lifeline to nearly 12,000 villages, 79 talukas, and 76 towns spread across Marathwada’s vast 64,000 square kilometers.

Divided into ten phases, the Marathwada Water Grid Project’s initial eight phases focus on constructing an internal grid to service Marathwada, while the final two phases propose extending the network to draw water from the Konkan region and the Krishna River’s catchment area.

Fadnavis sought international expertise to support the project’s technical execution. Under his tenure, Israel’s national water company, Mekorot, was selected to oversee the Water Grid’s technological framework.

This collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra government, aimed to incorporate advanced water management systems that could enhance the reliability and efficiency of the grid.

The Marathwada Water Grid Project’s estimated cost is approximately Rs 40,000 crore, with an initial phase in Aurangabad and Jalna districts expected to cost Rs 4,293 crore.

The funding model relies on a public-private partnership, with the Maharashtra government shouldering 60 per cent of the cost and the developer raising the rest through equity and debt. Although the state will retain project ownership, a long-term repayment model for the developer is in place to ensure financial viability.

Project Revival in 2022

The project gained momentum again under Fadnavis's return as Deputy Chief Minister in 2022, highlighting the political will necessary for such large-scale initiatives. 

In 2023, the proposal was submitted to the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) in 2023. This quasi-judicial body was established to ensure equitable water distribution in the state.

To fund this initiative and further support the Marathwada Water Grid, Mahayuti government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis sought Rs 20,000 crore funds from the Central government. The government has also sought financial assistance from international bodies like the World Bank.

Other Supporting Projects in Maharashtra For Water Security and Rural Prosperity

Maharashtra’s arid regions face a growing water crisis that threatens agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods. Recognising the urgency, the state government has rolled out a series of water conservation and irrigation projects to address the challenges of water scarcity, especially in drought-prone areas.

These initiatives range from grassroots conservation programs to extensive river-linking projects, each playing a vital role in ensuring Maharashtra’s farmers and rural communities have access to reliable water sources.

Launched in 2014 under former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan (Water-Filled Land Program) is an ambitious grassroots water conservation program. Its primary objective is to combat rural water scarcity by creating sustainable, local water sources in villages across Maharashtra.

The program’s focus on small-scale solutions has made a tangible difference in many drought-affected areas, where large-scale irrigation projects are often unfeasible.

Key elements of the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan include:

• Connecting local water streams to larger bodies to increase flow and water retention.

The program aimed to recharge groundwater levels and reduce dependency on monsoon rains, making agriculture more sustainable. The Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan also placed a strong emphasis on soil conservation through measures like trenches, gabions, and farm-level soil treatments, which were especially effective in supporting crops during dry spells.

These activities helped increase groundwater levels and drinking water availability in the rabi season, particularly in summer when scarcity is most acute.

Despite its success, the program’s momentum slowed following political shifts in 2019. However, its core philosophy was validated on a national scale when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the creation of 75 “Amrit Sarovars” (district-level water bodies) for each Indian district as part of the 75th Independence Day celebrations, echoing Jalyukt Shivar’s localised approach to water conservation.

Nar-Par-Girna River-Linking Project: Bringing Irrigation to North Maharashtra

The Nar-Par-Girna project is an ambitious river-linking initiative spearheaded by the Mahayuti-led government, aimed at addressing water shortages in North Maharashtra.

With a budget of Rs 7,015 crore, the project focuses on transporting 10.64 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of surplus water from the Nar Par Girna river basin to drought-prone areas in the Nashik and Jalgaon districts.

A defining feature of the Nar-Par-Girna project is the construction of nine new dams to facilitate water capture and redistribution. By redirecting surplus water from Maharashtra’s west-flowing rivers, the project aims to stabilize water supplies and improve agricultural productivity in the state’s northern regions. The initiative is expected to:

• Benefit 53,626 hectares in Nashik, ensuring adequate water for critical agricultural zones.

This increased irrigation capacity is projected to bring immense relief to farmers, helping stabilise crop yields and protect against erratic monsoon rainfall.

By mitigating seasonal water shortages, the Nar-Par-Girna project aligns with the government’s broader strategy to address regional water disparities and ensure that rural communities have the necessary resources for both agriculture and basic needs.

Through equitable water distribution, the initiative also aims to revitalize North Maharashtra’s agricultural economy, enhancing food security and economic resilience.

Tembhu Lift Irrigation Project: Expanding Irrigation Coverage in Satara

Lift irrigation schemes have emerged as a crucial strategy for addressing water scarcity in Maharashtra’s agricultural heartlands. The Tembhu Lift Irrigation Project is one such initiative that seeks to boost irrigation in the Satara district, particularly in areas where groundwater resources are insufficient.

Located on the Krishna River, the project’s primary goal is to supply water to drought-prone agricultural lands through a sophisticated water-lifting system.

The Tembhu project comprises two significant sub-projects:

• Mhaisal Lift Irrigation Project: This sub-project lifts water from the Koyna River and distributes it to Mhaisal village, helping irrigate local farms and ensuring crop survival even in drier periods.

Together, these lift irrigation projects provide farmers with a dependable source of water, allowing them to sustain crop production, expand irrigated land, and combat the adverse effects of drought.

By offering reliable water access, the Tembhu Lift Irrigation Project helps stabilise agricultural incomes and improve food security in the Satara region.

Purandar Lift Irrigation Scheme: Supporting Agriculture in Pune District

The Purandar Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS), managed by the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC), represents a major effort to support farmers in Pune district.

The project is designed to irrigate around 25,000 hectares of farmland across the taluks of Haveli, Purandar, Daund, and Baramati, providing a sustainable water source for local agriculture.

The PLIS system involves lifting water from the Mula River in four stages, using a network of pipes with diameters ranging from 2000 to 2200 mm to transport water across 12.5 kilometers. This process lifts water approximately 260 meters, ensuring that even higher-elevation farms can access irrigation.

By reducing dependency on unpredictable monsoon rains, the PLIS helps farmers cultivate high-yield crops and maximize land use. The project’s irrigation coverage is instrumental in improving the economic stability of the Pune region, allowing farmers to focus on long-term agricultural growth and improved livelihoods.

The Road Ahead

To ensure the successful completion of the Marathwada Water Grid Project, political stability and continuity will be essential.

The current coalition government’s alignment with Fadnavis’s vision could prove critical in expediting the project, reducing bureaucratic delays, and securing additional funding.

Fadnavis’s continued influence within the administration suggests that his advocacy for water security in Marathwada remains as committed as ever.

By envisioning and initiating the Marathwada Water Grid Project, he has provided a blueprint for addressing drought and water scarcity in a region historically plagued by these challenges. His leadership has brought attention to the need for equitable water distribution and has sparked hope for the people of Marathwada, who have long endured the hardships of water insecurity.

The project’s success could establish Fadnavis’s legacy as a transformative leader in Maharashtra’s water management efforts. If completed as envisioned, the Marathwada Water Grid could reshape the region’s future, providing stability, resilience, and hope for communities whose lives are deeply tied to the land and the availability of water.