Mumbai: With forecasts hinting at a possible weak monsoon due to the emerging El Niño in 2026, the Maharashtra govt on Friday unveiled a wide-ranging plan to strengthen water security, boost forest cover and expand climate-resilient infrastructure.Presenting the state budget in the assembly, chief minister and finance minister Devendra Fadnavis said the govt will intensify water conservation efforts through the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan, along with measures for water storage planning and fodder development to mitigate potential drought conditions.A major urban initiative announced was the Rs 5,860 crore Maharashtra urban water supply, sewage management and reuse project, to be implemented with support from the World Bank. The project aims to ensure 100% treatment and effective reuse of urban sewage while strengthening the financial capacity of urban local bodies.Fadnavis also reiterated the state’s commitment to expanding green cover in line with the National Forest Policy 1988, which recommends that at least 33% of the geographical area be under forest and tree cover. To move towards that goal, the govt plans a campaign to plant 300 crore trees across Maharashtra, linking environmental protection with climate action and rural employment.Minister of state for finance Ashish Jaiswal announced that a Rs 71.2 crore state water information centre will be set up in Nashik to provide certified digital data on water resources.The budget also highlighted several large river-linking projects, including the Rs 94,968 crore Wainganga–Nalganga River Link Project and the Rs 13,497-crore Damanganga–Vaitarna–Godavari River Link Project, aimed at transferring surplus water to drought-prone regions.In addition, the Rs 2,240 crore Maharashtra State Responsive Development Programme will focus on flood mitigation in Kolhapur and Sangli, including diversion of floodwaters from the Krishna basin to water-scarce areas of western Maharashtra and Marathwada.Officials said the combined measures aim to secure water availability for both rural and urban regions up to 2047 while strengthening the state’s climate resilience.
