Maharashtra is one of the first states to have regulated its groundwater resources. However, two decades after it introduced a law banning sinking of private borewells or deeptube wells within 500 metres of a public drinking water source, brazen extraction of water continues, even in the 16 drought-hit districts of the state.

This is reflected in the fact that 195 of the state’s 1,531 watersheds lie critically depleted, according to the state’s Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA). Seventy-three of these are ‘overexploited’.

This summer, people in southern Maharashtra can enjoy either electricity or water, not both. Until recently, the state had prioritised use of water for industrial purposes over agriculture.

Pune:The World Bank will assist the state government in spreading awareness among the rural population about judicious use of water and its conservation.

The Union government’s integrated watershed development programme is active in the state since 2010. Now, the World Bank will work with the state to bring about a change in the mindset of local people who want works to be done under the watershed development programme but are not very keen in carrying out conservation activities of soil and water, said state agriculture commissioner Umakant Dangat.

Pune: The state government has decided to set up water testing labs at district and sub-district hospitals across the state to provide safe drinking water in rural areas.

As part of this initiative, the state health department will set up 137 labs at the cost of Rs 15 crore. The aim is to increase the frequency of water testing and to decentralize monitoring and surveillance of all drinking water sources in the state. The Union government, under the National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Programme, granted funds to the state’s water supply and sanitation department which in turn channelized them to the state’s health department for setting up labs as they do not have the required infrastructure.

Pune: The state government has disbursed Rs 413.98 crore so far to tackle the water scarcity situation in different parts of the state. Western Maharashtra and Marathwada are the worst affected regions in the state as they have received the lowest rainfall in the state during the last monsoon.

The government has allocated over Rs 400 crore to the department of water supply and the department of revenue, a senior secretary from the state revenue department said. “Besides, the government has given powers to the district collectors for spending up to Rs 2 crore as emergency funds. The funds are meant to ensure quick payment to water tankers, as many of them are privately owned.”

The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday approved the new Industrial policy which focuses on strengthening small and medium industries and aims at an investment of Rs 5 lakh-crore and employment generation for 20 lakh people.

The draft policy which was pending with the Chief Minister's office for nearly a year was approved after a marathon cabinet meeting which saw comprehensive and detailed discussions.

The massive cost escalation of irrigations dotted across Konkan, Vidarbha, Marathwada, North Maharashtra and western Maharashtra, which works up to Rs26,000 crore, have proved to be a nightmare for

AHMEDABAD: The state government may announce a major 'Nutrition Mission' in the first week of September, but it's worth mentioning that the mission itself is inspired from two similar nutrition missions launched in Maharashtra and Orissa.

Maharashtra is on a nutrition mission mode since 2005. It was launched from Aurangabad district. Under this, a state-level steering committee is headed by the chief minister which interacts with an advisory committee and a committee under the chief secretary.

The state government will spend a Rs 23 as premium to insure crops of 137 lakh farmers in the state, the state government's agricultural department said here on Friday. An official at the divisional agricultural office here said that a sum of Rs 3151 lakh has been already been provided as insurance premium for farmers whose crops will be insured during this year against any eventuality.

The programme known as 'Shetkari Janta Abghat Vima Yojana' has been continued by the state government this year as well.

The Centre has sanctioned 2,389 projects under the Integrated Action Plan for the construction of 9,070 km of road at an estimated cost of Rs 3,387 crore in rural Bihar to mitigate the impact of na