17.1.18

Maharashtra seeks Israel help

The Maharashtra state government is seeking Israel's help to design its ambitious water grid for drought management in the Marathwada region.

In November 2016, the Devendra Fadnavis government had announced inter-linking of all major dams of the Marathwada region during a special cabinet session to address issues of Marathwada.

“The key aspect to make the water grid effective is to design it well. Since Israel is the leader in drought management techniques, we are going to approach them,” said a senior official. Officials say the project could cost the government up to Rs.10,000 crore.

This is not the first tie-up between Maharashtra and Israel. The state prisons department has implemented a pilot project to beef up security and surveillance of prisons with Israel’s help. This was done after Fadnavis was impressed with the jail security system in Israel when he visited the country in 2015. The pilot project in Nagpur central jail included setting up of a jail intelligence system, an inmate assessment system, a physical security ring, a system to monitor prison entrances, check guards' alertness, and a canine squad. "We will be replicating this is all the central prisons. We are only waiting for the MoU from Israel," said a senior official.

However, the digital project for which Maharashtra tie-up with Israel is yet to take off. Tel Aviv joined hands with Thane municipal corporation to replicate the civic transformation it underwent, using digital technologies, in Thane, the project is yet to see the light of day. 

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