Lok Sabha Question No. 644 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-06
Subject: Water Grid in Marathwada Region of Maharashtra
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dr. Shivaji Bandappa Kalge

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 644

ANSWERED ON 06.02.2025

## WATER GRID IN MARATHWADA REGION OF MAHARASHTRA

## 644.   DR. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether Marathwada region has been affected for shortages of water, especially Latur and Dharashiv districts of Maharashtra and if so, the details thereof; and

(b) whether the Government has taken any initiative to develop water grid in Marathwada region, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) Marathwada region is one of the most drought-affected areas in Maharashtra. This is a rain shadow region with an annual rainfall of only 600 mm and rainfall variability of 30%. As intimated by the Government  of  Maharashtra,  to  overcome  the  situation,  an  initiative  has  been  taken  by  the  State Government to develop a water grid in the Marathwada region.  Under this initiative, the State Government has planned to connect 11 major dams in the region by pipeline to enable water to be conveyed from dam to dam as and when required. As further intimated by the Government of Maharashtra, 8 water supply grid schemes have been sanctioned in this region under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which is part of the Marathwada grid.

Further  to  intimate  that  the  Government  of  India  formulated  a  National  Perspective  Plan (NPP)  in  1980  for  the  transfer  of  water  from  water-surplus  basins  to  water-deficient  basins/areas.  30 Interlinking  of  Rivers  (ILR)  projects  have  been  identified  under  the  NPP.  National  Water  Development Agency (NWDA) has been entrusted with the work of ILR Projects. Under the NPP, the Damanganga Pinjal ILR project and the Par - Tapi - Narmada ILR project have been envisaged to benefit the State of Maharashtra.

Apart  from  this,  20  intra-state  link  proposals  were  also  received  by  NWDA  from  the  State  of Maharashtra. Out of these 20 link proposals, 3 proposals, viz; Wainganga-Manjra Valley intra-State link, Upper  Krishna  -  Bhima  (system  of  6  links)  intra-State  link,  and  Nar-Par-Girna  valley  intra-State  link pertain  to  the  Marathwada  region  of  the  State.  Pre-feasibility  reports  (PFRs)  of  all  these  intra-State  link proposals have been completed by NWDA and submitted to the Government of Maharashtra. The details of the 3 intra-state link proposals concerning the Marathwada region are as under:

|   S.No | Name of Intra-State link                | Rivers               | Districts benefitted    | Present status of PFR /DPR         |
|--------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------------|
|      1 | Wainganga-Manjra Valley                 | Wainganga and Manjra | Beed, Hingoli, Parbhani | PFR completed (Not found feasible) |
|      2 | Upper Krishna-Bhima (system of 6 links) | Krishna and Bhima    | Osmanabad (Dharashiv)   | PFR completed                      |
|      3 | Nar-Par-Girna valley                    | Nar, Par and Girna   | Aurangabad              | PFR completed (Not found feasible) |

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