Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Marathwada Foundation Demands Rs 3,000 Crore Annual Allocation For Irrigation Works

The Marathwada Jalsamruddhi Pratishthan has demanded an annual allocation of Rs 3,000crore to address the region’s massive irrigation backlog, alleging that rightful water from Nashik is being diverted away from Marathwada. 

At a press conference on Monday, foundation president Shankarrao Nagre, secretary Ramakant Pulkundwar, Anil Patil, KM Vadgaonkar, Sarjerao Wagh, Arun Ghate, Rajaram Damgir, vice-presidents Rahul Mogle and Manish Agrawal, along with Sachin Gayake, Rajendra Choudhary and Suresh Khillare, were present. 

Nagre said, “Marathwada currently faces an irrigation backlog of 6.17 lakh hectares, amounting to nearly Rs 50,000crore. To eliminate this backlog, the state must allocate at least Rs3,000crore every year as a special grant.” 

In 2019, the government sanctioned 155 TMC out of 168.75 TMC from the west-flowing river basins for drought-hit Marathwada. In 2024, it approved 30 TMC from Sangli-Kolhapur floods and 23 TMC from Ujani dam, a total of 53 TMC, for Dharashiv, Beed and Latur districts. However, no concrete steps have been taken so far.

For Parbhani, Nanded and Hingoli districts, the foundation has demanded the immediate transfer of 32 TMC from Vidarbha’s surplus waters. Due to excessive upstream usage in the Godavari basin, the Jayakwadi dam has already suffered a shortfall of 30 TMC, Nagre noted.

The officials further stressed that the Marathwada Water Grid project should connect Nashik dams through pipelines, and the regional development boards must be revived. They said that if local representatives take the issue seriously, Marathwada’s chronic water crisis could finally be resolved.