‘Will Make Maharashtra Drought-Free’: CM Fadnavis Announces 500-Km River Linking Project

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced an ambitious plan to make the state “permanently drought-free”, unveiling a massive river-linking and water management programme involving the creation of a 500-km new river system and an estimated investment of Rs 2.5 lakh crore.

Speaking at Republic Summit about Maharashtra’s biggest challenges, Fadnavis said extreme drought conditions were currently affecting nearly 75% of the state, with almost 80% of crops lost in the affected areas. He warned that drinking water could also become a major problem in several parts of the state.

However, Fadnavis said his government was seeking to turn the water crisis into a long-term opportunity by undertaking multiple river-linking, flood mitigation and water diversion projects.

‘Coming Generation Will Not See Drought’

CM Fadnavis said the objective of the government's water strategy was not merely to tackle the present drought but to ensure that future generations of Maharashtra do not face recurring droughts.

“My generation in Maharashtra has seen many droughts,” Fadnavis said, adding that droughts may continue to affect the state over the next five to 10 years, but the coming generation should not have to experience the same crisis.

At the centre of the plan is the linking of the Vainganga and Nalganga rivers. According to Fadnavis, the project will effectively create around 500 kilometres of new river and is aimed at making the entire Vidarbha region drought-free.

The work, he said, is expected to begin this year, although completion of the project would take around seven years.

Three-Pronged Water Plan

Fadnavis outlined three major interventions that he said would collectively transform Maharashtra’s water availability.

The first is the Vainganga-Nalganga river-linking project, which he said would address drought conditions in Vidarbha.

The second involves diverting water generated through flood mitigation efforts in the Sangli and Kolhapur regions. Fadnavis said a flood mitigation project being undertaken with the help of the World Bank would allow excess floodwater to be diverted towards Marathwada.

He said around 100 TMC of water would be taken through the flood mitigation initiative, with 35 TMC being brought to three districts in Marathwada.

The third major component involves the Ulhas Basin. Fadnavis said around 200 TMC of water from west-flowing rivers in the basin currently flows directly into the sea.

The government plans to lift this water and transfer it towards the Godavari Valley, which, according to Fadnavis, accounts for around 49% of Maharashtra’s irrigation but remains a water-deficit basin.

He said these three initiatives would collectively help Maharashtra move towards becoming a permanently drought-free state.

Rs 2.5 Lakh Crore Investment, 7-Year Timeline

Fadnavis said projects of this scale would normally require at least seven years to complete and estimated that around Rs 2.5 lakh crore would be invested in the programme.

He argued that the projects would not only address water scarcity but also reduce the recurring financial burden of drought relief.

Fadnavis said that during the current drought, Maharashtra could spend at least Rs 30,000 crore over the next six months on assistance to farmers and various water-related schemes.

He added that the state had faced similar expenditure several times over the last decade, with Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore being spent on four such occasions.

According to Fadnavis, making water available more consistently could therefore alter the economics of Maharashtra’s agriculture sector.

From Rain-Fed Farming To Value Crops

Fadnavis said around 40% of Maharashtra’s farmers remain dependent on rainfall. In drought conditions, farmers who could otherwise grow multiple crops may struggle to produce even a single crop.

He said improved water availability would allow farmers to shift towards value crops and transform the agriculture sector.

The chief minister also linked the water plan to Maharashtra’s industrial growth, saying industries increasingly require reliable water supplies amid rapid urbanisation and industrialisation.

He described the competition for drinking and industrial water as a “silent struggle” in the state, with farmers, cities and industries all facing competing demands.

Water Security For Maharashtra’s Data Centre Push

Fadnavis also connected the water strategy to Maharashtra’s emergence as a major data-centre destination.

He claimed that around 65% of the country’s data-centre capacity is being prepared in Maharashtra and said water and electricity were two critical requirements for such facilities.

The state, he said, is simultaneously working on increasing its water availability and recycling around 1,000 million litres per day of used water.

Fadnavis said the proposed water projects would therefore have an economic impact beyond agriculture and drinking water, particularly as the state seeks to expand its industrial and technology sectors.

1,000 MLD Desalination Capacity Planned

Alongside river-linking and flood-water diversion, Fadnavis said Maharashtra was preparing a major desalination programme to protect Mumbai against future water shortages.

He said the state has planned at least 1,000 MLD of desalination capacity, of which 400 MLD projects have already started and another 600 MLD are in the pipeline.

The target is to complete the desalination programme by 2029-30.

Fadnavis said the desalinated water could be used for industry when conventional water supplies are sufficient, while the additional capacity would act as a strategic reserve during a severe water crisis.

He pointed to changing rainfall patterns and climate change as reasons for preparing for a scenario in which Mumbai receives significantly less rainfall from the Western Ghats.

‘Water Is Going To Be The Biggest Challenge’

Fadnavis agreed that water could become one of Maharashtra’s biggest strategic challenges in the coming years.

He recalled that warnings about future conflicts over water had often sounded exaggerated decades ago, but argued that inter-state water disputes have now become a major issue.

According to Fadnavis, the solution is not to “produce” water but to use available resources more efficiently.

His government’s strategy, therefore, combines river linking, flood-water diversion, water recycling, desalination and better utilisation of water currently flowing into the sea.

Infrastructure Push Alongside Water Projects

Fadnavis also outlined a wider infrastructure expansion agenda for Maharashtra, including a proposed 1,200-km metro network and 6,000 km of expressways.

He linked the infrastructure push to his broader objective of strengthening Maharashtra’s industrial advantage and ensuring that economic opportunities are distributed more evenly across the state.

He also cited the Samruddhi Mahamarg as an example of a major infrastructure project that faced opposition but was eventually implemented after the government worked to secure land and build support for the project.

Wadhvan Port As Another Major Project

Fadnavis also highlighted the Wadhvan Port project, saying the concept had existed since the 1980s and 1990s but faced legal and environmental hurdles.

He said the government worked on finding an alternative right of way that would address concerns relating to the Dahanu region and subsequently returned to the Supreme Court with the revised approach.

According to Fadnavis, the project eventually received the necessary permissions, with land reclamation work now underway.

He described Wadhvan Port as an advantage not only for Maharashtra but for the country.

‘Decisions Will Have To Be Implemented With Strength’

Reflecting on his approach to governance, Fadnavis said a strong mandate brings greater responsibility to take and implement difficult decisions.

He said governments could repeatedly cite opposition or lack of acceptance as reasons for delays, but argued that projects of this scale require decisions to be taken and implemented.

For Maharashtra, Fadnavis' stated strategy is to use its existing water resources more efficiently while simultaneously building new water infrastructure.

With the Vainganga-Nalganga link forming the centrepiece of the plan, the chief minister has set a seven-year horizon for a water infrastructure push that he says could fundamentally change Maharashtra’s drought map and ensure that future generations do not face the recurring water crises experienced by the state today.

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