MP, Maharashtra Ink ₹19,244 Crore Pact for Tapti Basin Project.

In a significant step towards inter-state water management, the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have signed a pact for the 'Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project'. Dubbed the world's largest groundwater recharge initiative, the project is valued at approximately ₹19,244 crore and aims to ensure sustainable water resources for both states.

The agreement was formally signed in Bhopal on Saturday by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis hailed the collaboration as historic, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating the project's realization. He stated the agreement would bring substantial benefits to the salt pan belt regions of Vidarbha and North Maharashtra. Fadnavis highlighted that Maharashtra would gain irrigation access for 2.34 lakh hectares, particularly in saline areas, while Madhya Pradesh would benefit from irrigation for 1.31 lakh hectares.

Both chief ministers expressed their intent to jointly petition the Central Government to elevate the project to a national scheme, similar to the Ken-Betwa river-linking project.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Yadav underscored his state's rich water resources and the importance of effectively managing its 247 rivers. He detailed plans to develop three streams of the Tapti River to maximize agricultural irrigation and ensure optimal utilization of water reserves. The initiative is set to harness 31.13 Thousand Million Cubic Feet (TMC) of water, with 11.76 TMC allocated to Madhya Pradesh and 19.36 TMC to Maharashtra.

Notably, the project requires 3,362 hectares of land but has been designed to avoid displacing any villages, thus eliminating the need for rehabilitation. Ensuring equitable water distribution remains a key priority as the two states continue efforts to resolve existing water-sharing challenges. Both governments affirmed their commitment to advancing the Tapti and Kanhan river projects while balancing environmental conservation with agricultural and industrial needs.

The new irrigation infrastructure is expected to significantly boost agricultural productivity in the Burhanpur and Khandwa districts. Complementing this, the Chhindwara Complex Multipurpose Project aims to optimize water usage in the Kanhan sub-basin, benefiting farmlands in Chhindwara and addressing water requirements in Nagpur.

Chief Minister Yadav also highlighted Madhya Pradesh's ongoing collaborative efforts with Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on other river-linking programs, positioning the Tapti project as the third such National River Water Project initiative undertaken with Maharashtra. He concluded that the project will establish permanent irrigation facilities across thousands of hectares in key tehsils of both states, including Burhanpur and Khandwa.