Maharashtra sets up panel for climate-resilient water management across river basins | Mumbai News

2 min readMumbaiMay 3, 2026 09:33 PM IST

The Maharashtra government has set up a new committee to plan, develop, monitor and assess all irrigation, drinking and multi-purpose water projects in all river basins of the state. The panel will also be empowered to recommend and monitor plans for management of water resources with climate resilience, ranging from water re-cycle to river rejuvenation and from desalination to wetland restoration.

The Water Resources department has set up the State Water Resources Development and Management Committee (SWRDMC) which will advise the State Water Resources Council headed by the Chief Minister on aligning the Integrated State Water Plan with the objectives of “Viksit Maharashtra 2047.”

To ensure sustainable water management as envisaged under the Integrated State Water Plan key initiatives include: ensuring tap water access to all households, expanding irrigation coverage through micro-irrigation and modernisation of water storage infrastructure, ensuring equitable water access across river basins to balance water demand and supply, implementing water recycling and reuse across sectors in Maharashtra, developing financially sustainable water utilities through appropriate pricing mechanisms and digital governance and promoting inland river navigation for sea-going vessels to facilitate low-cost transportation of agricultural produce.

“The objective of SWRDMC is advising on Integrated Water Resources Management on a sustainable basis with scientific planning, development and monitoring of all aquifers, watershed, irrigation and drinking water projects in all river basins in the state,” said an official from the Water Resources department.

The 13-member committee will be headed by the Chief Minister’s adviser on Water Policy and Management resources, Sriram Vedire. The members include administrative heads of Water resources, water supply and sanitation, Revenue and Forest, Industry, Water conservation, Transport, Urban development, tourism and environment departments along with director of Maharashtra Remote Sensing application center. Secretary (Command Area Development) will be the member secretary of the committee.

The committee may constitute sub-committees or working groups on Inter / Intra basin water transfers, Inland River Navigation for sea going vessels, integrated IT Decision Support System (DSS) for all water and land resources management, Water recycle & reuse, River Rejuvenation & Water Pollution, Urban Flooding – Stormwater Management, Desalination & Drainage, Wetlands Restoration, Coastal & Salinity Management and Water tourism.

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Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra’s hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise


Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.


Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the ‘hinterlands’).


Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:



State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.


Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana).


Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).


Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC’s OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.




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Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.


Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.


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Alok Deshpande’s rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
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