Aamir Khan is aiming to make Maharashtra a drought free state in next 5 years. He has started a water conservative initiative named – Paani Foundation. This foundation has already tasted success in three talukas of Maharashtra.

“This year we have been successful in our project in three talukas of State. Now next year, we would go for thirties and in next five years would try to reach almost all 358 talukas in 36 districts of the State. Our target is to make Maharashtra completely drought free in next five years”, Aamir Khan told journalists, on the occasion of Satyamev Jayte Water Cup Awards 2016 function, in Mumbai.

WATER CUP COMPETITION
With first prize of Rs 50 lakhs, second prize of Rs 30 lakhs and third prize of Rs 20 lakhs, Paani Foundation strategically announced its initiative, in the form of Water Cup Competition. 116 villages of three talukas of the State including – Koregaon (Satara district), Ambejogai (Beed district) and Warud (Amravati district) took part in the competition.

The competition was preceded by residential training camps of four days each organised by Aamir’s Paani Foundation where every village wishing to compete sent five villagers, of whom two were women. About 800 villagers took part in the training and were taught the basics of watershed development through some innovative methods.

As a result, the total water storage created by the competing villagers was 1368 crore litres of water which is equal to 13,68,000 tankers of water. It is equal to Rs 272 crore worth of water which the country has saved annually. “Most important, all this was achieved without Paani Foundation funding any village”, Aamir said.