The Government of Maharashtra, Naam Foundation and Tata Motors have signed a MOU to undertake water conservation projects across all districts in Maharashtra. Naam Foundation has been actively involved in addressing water scarcity and mitigating the effects of drought in the state. Our initiatives include the rejuvenation of existing rivers, nalas and other water bodies to enhance their storage capacity, ultimately contributing to the recharge of groundwater table. This collaborative effort aims to ensure sustainable water resources and alleviate the challenges faced by farmers due to water shortages. Till now the initiative has rejuvenated 1357 Water Bodies accross Maharasthra.

The Silt-Free Dam, Silt-Rich Farmland Scheme is regarded as one of the ambitious initiatives of the Government of Maharashtra. Considering the current situation of natural water sources and government-owned percolation tanks in drought-prone as well as flood-prone regions of rural Maharashtra, this scheme aims to remove silt from reservoirs to increase their storage capacity. The fertile silt is then provided to farmers, who spread it across their fields to enhance soil fertility. Additionally, streams and rivulets in villages are deepened and widened, encroachments are removed, and efforts are made to increase water-carrying capacity and groundwater recharge.

On February 6, 2025, in the presence of Honorable Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Honorable Nana Patekar, President of the Naam Foundation, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Government of Maharashtra, Tata Motors, and Naam Foundation to undertake water conservation work on 1,000 water sources across 26 districts of Maharashtra. Through Tata Motors and Naam Foundation, this work was successfully completed.

During the implementation, 226 excavator machines were used by Naam Foundation, operated by 550 operators working day and night. 45 engineers provided their services, and 1,256,400 farmers voluntarily transported the silt from reservoirs to their own fields, making 2.5 million hectares of land fertile. All this work was completed before the monsoon season. In total, 24,113,858 cubic meters of silt was removed, which increased the water storage capacity of reservoirs by 241.1 crore liters (0.77 TMC) during the monsoon. As a result, irrigation water became available for 2.5 million hectares of farmland, benefiting 2,223,000 farmers. Many villages became tanker-free, as drinking water was sufficiently available.

Due to this water conservation effort, farmers’ incomes increased three to five times. Farmers who previously practiced dryland farming could now grow two to three crops annually. Availability of fodder also boosted livestock-based businesses such as cattle rearing and goat farming. Villagers were trained in water conservation techniques, creating local “water experts” who later promoted and implemented the scheme in other villages, strengthening community networking.

From the perspective of Naam Foundation, this initiative played a vital role in addressing the crucial issue of water in rural areas, thereby supporting the vision of a developed India. By ensuring effective implementation of government schemes, Naam Foundation contributed significantly to their success. The foundation takes pride in having motivated rural communities to solve their problems collectively and to actively participate in government schemes. This success has paved the way for Naam Foundation to play an important role in other ambitious projects of the Government of Maharashtra in the future, and the foundation remains committed to such efforts.

While working under the “Silt-free Dam, Silt-enriched Farmland” scheme, strong public participation was achieved. People were well informed about the scheme, and as a result, villagers made special efforts to derive various benefits for their community. Following these efforts, in many villages, the silt removed from reservoirs was used for constructing farm roads, access paths, and village roads. Through this, nearly 350 kilometers of farm roads, access paths, and repairs to village roads were completed. In some places, this soil was also used for planting trees in public areas and for preparing playgrounds in district council schools.

In many respects, with the involvement of Naam Foundation, Tata Motors, and local participation, attempts were made to address various village issues under this scheme, and success was achieved in doing so.

The works carried out under the 'Silt-Free Dam, Cattle-Rich Farmland' scheme also helped generate employment in villages. To transport the silt from ponds, many tractors and dumpers were used. Through this, local people got employment. Since most of the machinery used for this work was owned by local people, they were able to secure good employment opportunities.