Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), a statutory body of the Government of India, has been established under the ANRF Act, 2023 to provide high level strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in fields of natural sciences and scientific and technological interfaces of humanities & social sciences to promote, monitor and provide support as required as per recommendations of the National Education Policy. Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA) is a program under ANRF to support priority-centric, solution-based research in Mission mode focusing on some key areas in alignment with nation’s prime requirements. It is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional and multi-investigator project with industrial partnerships in the best-sorted areas of immediate concern.

The MAHA Water program launched on 01.06.2026, is a joint initiative of the ANRF, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti to support mission-oriented, solution-based research to address key water challenges. The five thematic areas of the MAHA Water Programme are: Water Resource Assessment and Sustainable Management; Drinking Water; Water Quality; Human and Ecological Health; Water Use Efficiency & Circular Economy; and Climate Resilience & Adaptation.

Under the ANRF MAHA Water Programme, proposals are invited in a consortium mode involving multiple Principal Investigators (PIs) and institutions/laboratories from academia, research organisations, DSIR-SIRO-registered research organisations, and eligible Section 8 companies. Participation by at least one Start-up/MSME/Industry partner is mandatory, with a cash contribution of 10% of the total project cost. Related information is available on the website:

https://anrfonline.in/ANRF/mahawp_anrf?HomePage=New

The Bharat WIN Portal has been operationalised to facilitate participation of Start-ups/MSMEs and accelerate the development and deployment of innovative water technologies.

Further, the Jal Shakti Hackathon–2025 was organized to encourage practical, scalable, and field-ready technologies to address key water-sector challenges.

Results of R&D in the water sector are shared with stakeholders, such as States & UTs, partner ministries and project implementing agencies, for adoption and implementation as considered appropriate.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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ND

(Lok Sabha USQ 3032)

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