NEW DELHI: In a major initiative to drive technological innovation in water security, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, and Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, jointly launched the ₹200-crore ANRF–MoJS MAHA Water Mission.
Speaking at the National Workshop on R&D in Water at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is actively democratizing research funding. By expanding resource avenues for startups, MSMEs, smaller universities, and emerging innovators, the foundation ensures that national scientific funding is no longer restricted to a limited cluster of established institutions.
Structural Scale and Five-Pronged Mandate
The MAHA (Missions for Advancement in High-Impact Areas) Water Mission is conceptualized as a cohesive national platform bringing together science, enterprise, and academia over a five-year timeline:
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Financial Outlay: The program carries a total projected outlay of ₹200 crore, funded jointly by the ANRF and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
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Consortia Support: The mission will back multidisciplinary consortia comprising universities, national labs, startups, and industry partners. Selected consortia can access up to ₹20 crore in funding to advance technology development, field validation, and deployment.
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Five Core Strategic Themes: The mission’s roadmap focuses strictly on five priority segments:
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Water Resource Assessment and Sustainable Management
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Drinking Water Safety
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Water Quality and Ecological Health
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Water Use Efficiency and Circular Economy
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Climate Resilience and Adaptation
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Sector Convergence: Space Tech and Water Management
The launch underscored the central government’s “Whole-of-Government” approach, utilizing cross-departmental capabilities to resolve critical domestic issues:
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ISRO & Space Collaboration: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Space/ISRO. This alliance allows the government to harness satellite imagery, geospatial applications, and advanced data sets for groundwater assessment, irrigation planning, and asset tracking.
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Digital Public Portals: The session marked the rollout of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, Citizen Tracking and Reporting (JSJB-CTR) Portal and App, aimed at integrating public participation with official water conservation tracking.
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Broader Mission Spectrum: Dr. Singh noted that the MAHA framework is already deploying mission-mode operations across other key strategic technology frontiers, including Electric Vehicles (EVs), Drones, Medical Technologies, and 6G Communications.
The ministers concluded the launch by issuing an open call for proposals specifically tailored for startups and MSMEs to submit product and prototype designs for field deployment.
