Fadnavis asks all departments to work in coordination to make Maharashtra drought-free

Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday directed all departments to work in coordination with one another, in a planned manner and at speed, to overcome drought conditions in the state permanently. He said this at a meeting on water conservation held at the Varsha residence. The meeting was convened in the context of the Water Cup campaign starting early in the state this year.

Fadnavis said priority should be given to the concept of "Paani adva, paani jirva" (stop the water, let it percolate), and that water conservation works should be carried out effectively so that every drop of rainwater is held back. Various voluntary organisations, including the Paani Foundation, are working in this field, and he said the administrative machinery should actively cooperate with their work. He also said the district collectors, chief executive officers and field officers should speed up the campaign through coordination among themselves.

The Chief Minister noted that all departments need to make a joint effort to meet the challenge of drought. He said that district collectors, chief executive officers, officials of the agriculture department and the field machinery had earlier shown excellent leadership and efficiency in implementing various programmes. He said it had been seen that the pace of work picks up when the administrative machinery takes up the task with enthusiasm and a sense of responsibility in difficult times. Work had been seen under way from dawn across Maharashtra earlier, and the same promptness and dedication are now needed to take the initiative for water conservation works, Fadnavis said.

At the meeting, certain concepts were finalised for water conservation works. The Chief Minister directed that an integrated action plan be prepared on that basis. He said a capable administrative machinery should be put in place to implement the plan effectively, and a technology-based monitoring system should be developed to track the progress of the works. He also said the works of various departments should be integrated and implemented through mutual coordination, and that all the agencies concerned should take part actively and ensure there is no delay in the works.

The Chief Minister said water conservation works should not remain limited to planning on paper but should actually be completed effectively. He said the works should be planned and carried out in such a way that water conservation structures are ready to hold water as soon as the first rain falls, helping raise the groundwater level.

Fadnavis expressed confidence that these efforts would allow concrete steps towards making villages drought-free and would bring great relief to the people. He also appealed to all officials and agencies concerned to take part in this important water conservation campaign in unison and to get ready for this big fight.