MAHA Water Program

On 1st June 2026, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA) for Water, a ₹200-crore programme to support innovation, startups, and research for strengthening India’s long-term water security.

Key Points

Funding Support: Selected multidisciplinary consortia can receive funding of up to ₹20 crore for technology development, testing, validation, and deployment.
Eligible Participants: Universities, national laboratories, research institutions, startups, MSMEs, and industry partners can participate in the programme.
Five Priority Areas:
- Water resource assessment and sustainable management
- Drinking water
- Water quality and ecological health
- Water-use efficiency and circular economy
- Climate resilience and adaptation
Mission Objective: The programme aims to bridge laboratory research and field deployment while developing scalable and localised water solutions.