Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule Asks Districts To Prioritise Water Conservation Over Cement Roads Amid Drought

Mumbai: Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday directed district planning committees to prioritise drinking water supply and water conservation works over cement roads and drainage projects while allocating funds, amid the drought-like situation in parts of Maharashtra.

Bawankule held a meeting with Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and senior field-level officials at Mantralaya to review the situation across the state. Additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries of various departments, as well as divisional commissioners, district collectors and chief executive officers of Zilla Parishads, attended the meeting.

Bawankule suggested giving priority to the construction and revival of ‘Shivkalin Bandharas’ and other water conservation works instead of cement roads. He directed officials to immediately revive defunct and old water storage structures in every district and undertake measures to recharge drinking water schemes.

The administration was also asked to focus on the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and agriculture-based works to provide employment and support rural communities.

Conduct crop damage assessments on the ground

Bawankule issued strict instructions regarding crop damage assessments. He said gram sevaks, agricultural assistants and talathis should jointly conduct the panchnamas. Besides digital surveys, officials must visit farms and physically assess crop losses, he said.

Farmers should be given assurance that their names and crop losses have been properly recorded, Bawankule said. He directed the administration to prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) for crop damage assessments and place the completed panchnamas before gram sabhas for approval without delay.

Meet MSEDCL officials over power planning

With electricity demand rising across the state, Bawankule directed district collectors to hold meetings with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) officials and ensure proper power planning.

He also directed officials to provide immediate electricity connections to anganwadis and instructed engineers to remain present on the ground to address power-related issues.

Officials told to engage with protesters

Bawankule said the drought-like situation could lead to public discontent and directed officials to respond sensitively if residents organise protests over drinking water or other issues.

He asked officials to personally receive memoranda from protesters and attempt to resolve their grievances through dialogue and immediate action.

Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal briefed the meeting on the rainfall situation and water storage levels in dams across the state. He said while the water stock in dams was not critically low, it was not abundant either. The lack of rainfall could have a significant impact on crops, and the situation would become clearer over the next two to three days.

Agrawal directed the administration to focus on drought management and planning for drinking water requirements.

Revenue Department Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Kharage directed officials to upload digital crop survey data, while Rural Development Department Secretary Chandrakant Pulkundwar endorsed the need for an SOP for panchnamas and approval through gram sabhas.

District collectors shared their views on drought mitigation measures and proposed new projects during the meeting.

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