First water grid in Maharashtra: PM Modi

India's first water grid would come up Maharashtra's drought-affected Marathwada region.

The Jal Jeevan Mission, the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is going to help in its implementation in a big way.

"The Marathwada region is going to benefit in a big way from Jal Jeevan Mission. The first water grid in the country will be made in Marathwada; this will increase water availability in the region," Modi said at a function in Aurangabad, the divisional headquarters of Marathwada region.

The PM said that Jal Jeevan Mission has been launched in order to free women from the trouble of having to toil hard to fetch water. “The Jal Jeevan Mission involves saving water and delivering water at one’s doorstep. The Government will spend 3.5 lakh crore in the next five years," he said.

Recalling Ram Manohar Lohia’s statement that toilet and water are the two biggest problems faced by Indian women, the PM said that if these two issues are resolved, women can then lead the country.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that making Marathwada drought-free is the supreme priority. "Bringing 168 TMC water to Godavari basin and the first water grid connecting all dams and distribution through pipeline are our two ambitious projects, apart from Jal Yukt Shivar Abhiyan," said Fadnavis.

In August, when Fadnavis launched the BJP's Maha Janadesh Yatra, he had announced: "I will not see the next generation to see drought."

In fact, the Maharashtra government is working on an over Rs 15,000 crore water grid project for Marathwada and two projects have been given go-ahead. The government has cleared the Rs 4,802-crore water grid project for Beed in Marathwada under the hybrid annuity model besides bids to lay pipelines in Aurangabad and Jalna in Marathwada to the tune of Rs 4,293 crore.

The remaining two packages for Latur-Osmanabad and Nanded-Parbhani-Hingoli will be presented before the cabinet soon.