Maharashtra to receive 10 tmcft of Narmada water after inter-State dispute is resolved

Maharashtra will receive its allocated 10 tmcft of water from the Narmada Project after a long-pending inter-State issue was resolved at a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the decision would benefit districts in north Maharashtra

Mumbai: Maharashtra will receive 10 tmcft of water from the Narmada Project following the resolution of a nearly two-decade-old inter-State issue during a meeting of four States chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

The meeting, chaired by Amit Shah, was attended by Fadnavis and his counterparts from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan – Mohan Yadav, Bhupendra Patel and Bhajan Lal Sharma, respectively – along with Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil.

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Fadnavis said the long-pending issue was resolved during the meeting.

Maharashtra will receive its allocated 10 tmcft of water, of which five tmcft will come through the proposed Narmada-Tapi diversion scheme and another five tmcft will be lifted from the Ukai dam during the monsoon, when surplus water is available, he said.

Gujarat agreed in principle to allow Maharashtra to lift water from the Ukai reservoir during the rainy season, and the proposal received the approval of Amit Shah and C R Patil, Fadnavis added.

The Chief Minister said Maharashtra had so far received only electricity from the Narmada Project despite being entitled to 10 tmcft of water after the project’s completion.

He said several pending financial issues were also resolved, with the state’s outstanding liability reduced to Rs 27 crore after the remaining dues were waived.

The Maharashtra government will now prepare a detailed implementation plan for lifting water from the Ukai dam, he said, adding that the additional water would significantly benefit districts in north Maharashtra.

Separately, Fadnavis said that at a review meeting chaired by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, he sought enhanced Central support for renewable energy programmes in the State.

He thanked the Centre for allocating 51 per cent of the total funds under the Kusum scheme to Maharashtra and sought greater assistance under the revised scheme as well.

He said the Centre had also urged Maharashtra to set higher targets under the PM Surya Ghar programme and assured continued support for the State’s renewable energy initiatives.