Maharashtra CM Pushes for Fast-Track on Wainganga-Nalganga River Linking Project to Fight Drought
Mumbai, Sep 8: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given a strong push to the ambitious Wainganga-Nalganga river linking project. On Monday, he directed officials to get it reviewed by the State-level Technical Advisory Committee right away. He wants a detailed project report (DPR) ready and submitted to the government by October 15 this year.
During a key review meeting, CM Fadnavis stressed the need for a strict time-bound plan to keep the Wainganga-Nalganga project on track. He told the team to write to the Central Government immediately and follow up to secure at least 25% of the funding. The state government will also chip in with the necessary funds, he assured. Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan and other top officials joined the meeting.
The good news? Survey work for the first phase, from Gosikhurd to Lower Wardha, wrapped up on schedule. For the next phase, Fadnavis instructed the team to grab environmental clearance quickly and kick off construction without delay.
This massive Rs 87,000 crore Wainganga-Nalganga river linking project, along with the Rs 7,015 crore Nar-Par-Girna project, aims to irrigate a whopping 95,760 hectares of farmland. Add to that the Rs 40,000 crore Marathwada Water Grid, and it will bring water to 12,000 villages across 79 sub-divisions and 79 towns in the Marathwada region. These efforts will tackle the recurring drought issues in the backward areas of Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra.
As per the water resources department, the Wainganga-Nalganga interlinking project will lift water from the Wainganga River—a tributary of the Godavari—and channel it to the Nalganga basin in the Tapi river system. The big goal? Turn hundreds of thousands of hectares of barren land into fertile fields for farmers.
The project spans about 426-427 km, including canals, pipelines, and lift-irrigation structures. It involves around 41 dams—10 already exist, with 31 new reservoirs to be built. Together, they’ll store about 1,772 million cubic metres of water, ensuring a steady supply for irrigation in drought-prone areas.
