The Centre on Monday, 1 June, launched the ₹200 crore ANRF-Ministry of Jal Shakti MAHA Water Mission to support startups, MSMEs, universities, research institutions and industry partners working on technology-led solutions for India’s water sector.
The mission was launched during the National Workshop on R&D in Water at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, the Ministry of Science and Technology said in a statement.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is democratising research funding by widening access to resources, partnerships and mission-oriented research opportunities.
He said research support should not remain limited to a few established institutions and that ANRF is expanding opportunities for startups, MSMEs, universities and innovators across the country.
The MAHA Water Mission has been planned as a five-year programme with a projected outlay of ₹200 crore, jointly contributed by ANRF and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Under the mission, selected multidisciplinary consortia can receive support of up to ₹20 crore for technology development, field assessment, validation and deployment of high-impact solutions in the water sector.
The programme will support consortia involving universities, national laboratories, research organisations, startups, MSMEs and industry partners.
The mission will focus on 5 priority themes – water resource assessment and sustainable management, drinking water, water quality and ecological health, water use efficiency and circular economy, and climate resilience and adaptation.
Singh said the mission aims to take innovations from laboratory research to field deployment while developing scalable and localised solutions for India’s long-term water security.
He said ANRF has already launched Missions for Advancement in High-Impact Areas in strategic sectors such as electric vehicles, drones, medical technologies, 6G communications and water.
According to the statement, these missions are designed to create an integrated pathway from fundamental research to technology development, validation and deployment by bringing together academia, industry, startups and government institutions.
Singh said India’s startup ecosystem has grown from about 350 to 400 startups a decade ago to more than 2 lakh startups today, generating nearly 20 lakh to 24 lakh jobs.
During the programme, Singh and Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil jointly launched the ANRF-MoJS MAHA Water Mission, released the mission flyer and announced an open call for proposals.
An open call for startups and MSMEs for product and prototype development was also launched at the inaugural session.
The event also saw the signing of an MoU between the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Space/ISRO.
The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, Citizen Tracking and Reporting Portal and App were also launched during the programme.
Singh said satellite technologies, geospatial applications and scientific data are increasingly contributing to water resource mapping, groundwater assessment, irrigation planning and infrastructure development.
He added that future collaborations involving Earth Sciences, Biotechnology, CSIR laboratories and other scientific institutions would strengthen India’s capacity to address water-related challenges through technology-driven solutions.
Patil said water security is fundamental to India’s development and called for greater integration of research, innovation and public participation in water management.
He said the partnership between the Ministry of Jal Shakti and ANRF would help generate practical and scalable solutions for the country’s water sector.
The workshop was attended by senior policymakers, scientists, researchers, startups, MSMEs, industry representatives and officials from state water resources departments.
Among those present were Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary V. Narayanan, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao, and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Ashok K.K. Meena.
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