Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra ink MoU for Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project
The MoU was signed by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, marking a renewed effort to harness inter-State river resources for sustainable development. The project is the third such initiative undertaken by the Madhya Pradesh government in the past year, following the Ken–Betwa link with Uttar Pradesh and the Parvati–Kalisindh–Chambal project with Rajasthan.
Under the proposed project, water from the Tapti river - which originates in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district - will be diverted to cater to the drinking water needs of northeastern Maharashtra, including Nagpur, and provide irrigation support to southern and southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh such as Burhanpur and Khandwa. Notably, the river is known as the Tapi in Maharashtra.
The MoU aims to benefit 5.78 Lakh acres of land and boost irrigation for for Vidarbha and North Maharashtra, said Mr. Fadnavis.
Mr. Yadav said consultations would be held with the Union government to seek recognition of the Tapti initiative as a national water project. He noted that the total planned utilisation of water under the scheme stands at 31.13 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), with 11.76 TMC allocated to Madhya Pradesh and 19.36 TMC to Maharashtra.
'The project entails the use of 3,362 hectares of land in Madhya Pradesh, with no displacement of villages and no requirement for rehabilitation,' Mr. Yadav said, adding that the Centre is expected to fund 90 per cent of the project cost.
The initiative, he added, is projected to ensure permanent irrigation for 1,23,082 hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 2,34,706 hectares in Maharashtra.
The beneficiary districts in Maharashtra are Jalgaon, Akola, Buldhana, and Amravati in Madhya Pradesh, total area 1,23,082 hectares area will be benefited, including Burhanpur, and Khandwa. The estimated cost of the project is ₹19,244 crores (as per 2022–23 estimates)
Describing the Tapti Basin initiative as the 'world's largest recharge scheme', Mr. Fadnavis said the project had originally been conceptualised in the 1990s during his tenure as Mayor of Nagpur. He also noted that Saturday's meeting of the Inter-State Board was the first in 25 years - the last such meeting having been convened in 2000.
'I thank Chief Minister Yadav for his proactive support in reviving this important project, which has seen sporadic inter-governmental discussions over the years,' he said.
The last such meeting was held in 2000, and the next one has now taken place in 2025. 'I had visited Madhya Pradesh 28 years ago with the then Chief Minister in connection with the Jamghat Project. It is heartening to see that the project is finally gaining momentum. The Jamghat Project will ensure a steady water supply for Nagpur city for the next 30 to 40 years. The next meeting is scheduled to be held in October,' Mr. Fadnavis added.
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