Devendra Fadnavis' Plan of a Drought-Free Maharashtra by 2019 Fails

In April 2016, Maharashtra operated the water train to supply drinking water to drought-affected Latur. In the same year, the state embarked on its Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan to become drought free by 2019. Despite the ambitious plan, 40% of the state is reeling from drought and its water tanker economy is booming. Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan aimed at making Maharashtra a drought-free state by deepening and widening streams as well as constructing cement and earthen stop dams, nullahs and digging farm ponds.
But, as of February 2019, the state government declared drought in 151 of the 358 talukas. In these talukas, 28,524 villages have been declared drought-affected. Of this, 112 are severe drought hit. While activists say that the Jalyukt scheme has failed after a spectacular start, government officials defend their work, claiming the last monsoon rainfall was at a historical low.
According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, reservoir storage during the current year has been less than the storage last year for the western region, which includes the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
“It is also less than the average storage in the last 10 years of the corresponding period,” the commission’s report suggested. Of the 19 reservoirs that the CWC monitors in Mahar­ashtra, five were recorded as completely dry on May 23.

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