14 October,2026 11:07 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Gulabrao Patil. Pic/X
Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil has claimed that his department has not received funds from the Centre since September 2024, as several parts of the state face drought conditions and water shortages.
The Shiv Sena leader said on Tuesday that the situation could have been different if the expected funds had been released. According to Patil, around 700 tankers are currently supplying water in four districts - Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna and Nashik.
"We haven't got the money since September 2024 as expected. The state government gave funds from its own kitty...The picture would have been different had we got the money. Contractors, villagers, farmers and MLAs blame us (for the situation)," Patil said.
The minister, who represents the Jalgaon Rural assembly constituency in North Maharashtra, said funding delays had affected projects that were nearing completion. He added that the state government had used its own resources to meet some of the department's requirements.
"There are many projects where 80-90 per cent of the work has been completed. If we get money, we can complete some work by December, and the number of tankers can be brought down," he added.
Patil said several projects were close to completion and that additional funding could help reduce dependence on water tankers in affected areas. He expressed hope that Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil, who hails from Maharashtra, would look into the matter.
The minister also said a region-wise and assembly constituency-wise review was underway to assess requirements and prepare for the coming months. The review is intended to help the department plan its response to water shortages and identify areas requiring attention.
Last month, the Maharashtra government declared drought conditions in 265 of the state's 358 talukas, covering around 74 per cent of the state, following a rainfall deficit. The government announced relief measures, including crop loan restructuring, land revenue concessions and subsidies on electricity bills.
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the highest number of drought-affected talukas, at 74. Amravati follows with 56, while Nashik has 49, Nagpur 39, Pune 35 and Thane 12.
The drought declaration also covers one taluka in Raigad, three in Ratnagiri and eight in Sindhudurg. The scale of the affected area has increased pressure on authorities to maintain drinking water supplies and provide relief to farmers and rural communities.
(With inputs from PTI)
