Tata Motors has partnered with the Government of Maharashtra to restore 1000 water bodies in over 20 districts, focusing on areas facing water scarcity. The collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to address the state’s water challenges and support rural communities. In 2024, Tata Motors successfully revitalized 356 water bodies in Maharashtra through the Gal Mukt Dharan Gal Yukt Shivar Yojana, a community-driven de-siltation initiative, working alongside the Soil and Water Conservation Department, NAAM Foundation, and local communities.
Building on this success, Tata Motors plans to expand the project to more than 20 districts, including water-stressed regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada. The effort will involve rejuvenating water bodies across key areas such as Amravati, Latur, Nagpur, Nanded, Akola, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, and others. NAAM Foundation will play a key role in implementing the project.
Vinod Kulkarni, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Tata Motors, shared, “We are honored to strengthen our partnership with the Government of Maharashtra and NAAM Foundation to tackle water scarcity and the effects of drought. The success of our 2024 initiative has motivated us to expand our reach to more districts and help more villages. Our goal is to increase groundwater levels, improve access to drinking water, and ensure year-round irrigation, ultimately enhancing livelihoods.”
Priya Khan, Officer on Special Duty at the Chief Minister’s Office, Maharashtra, commented, “The Government of Maharashtra’s Gal Mukt Dharan, Gal Mukt Shivar Yojana aims to improve the capacity of existing water bodies. The program has become a movement with the invaluable support of organizations like Tata Motors and NAAM Foundation. Together, we are not just restoring water bodies but building resilience against the recurring droughts.”
Ganesh Thorat, CEO of NAAM Foundation, said, “Since 2015, the NAAM Foundation has worked to tackle water scarcity in Maharashtra. This partnership with Tata Motors and the Government of Maharashtra is a major milestone in our mission. Expanding our efforts to more districts is an encouraging step toward long-term water sustainability.”
In 2024, Tata Motors and NAAM Foundation revitalized 356 water bodies, removing around 60 lakh cubic meters of silt from 10 districts, including Pune, Palghar, Thane, and others. This initiative created an additional storage capacity of approximately 7000 million liters of water, benefiting around 7,000 farmers and improving water availability and quality in rural areas.
The Gal Mukt Dharan Gal Yukt Shivar Yojana also provides pre-approved funds to farmers for transporting silt to their fields, enhancing soil fertility. An end-to-end digital monitoring system ensures transparency and effective implementation of the project. The success of these water body restoration efforts reflects Tata Motors’ commitment to sustainable development and the betterment of rural communities.
