Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil has claimed that his department has not received expected funds from the Centre since September 2024, affecting the progress of several water supply projects as drought conditions worsen across the state.
Patil said the situation could have been different if the funds had been released on time. The state government has been using its own resources to support the department amid the funding shortfall.
Currently, around 700 water tankers are supplying drinking water across four districts — Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna and Nashik.
The Shiv Sena leader said several water supply projects have reached 80–90% completion. With the release of funds, some of these projects could be completed by December, potentially reducing dependence on water tankers.
Patil also expressed hope that Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil would intervene and address the funding issue. He added that the department was conducting reviews at the regional and assembly constituency levels to prepare for the coming months.
The funding concerns come as Maharashtra faces widespread drought conditions. The state government has declared drought in 265 of its 358 talukas, accounting for approximately 74% of the state’s talukas, following a rainfall deficit.
Relief measures announced by the government include crop loan restructuring, concessions on land revenue and subsidies on electricity bills.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the highest number of drought-affected talukas at 74, followed by Amravati with 56, Nashik with 49, Nagpur with 39, Pune with 35 and Thane with 12. The drought-affected list also includes one taluka in Raigad, three in Ratnagiri and eight in Sindhudurg.
With drought affecting a significant portion of the state, the timely completion of pending water supply projects remains crucial to reducing reliance on tankers and improving access to drinking water in affected areas.
