MDFM (Maharashtra Drought Free Movement)
Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS) established in 1985 has been in the forefront of disaster response and mitigation through social and economic development of affected regions and community. BJS has worked with central and various state governments, besides NGOs and volunteers in these areas, contributing towards lasting impacts at grass root level and also influencing policies and programmes. As part of these endeavours, it has embarked on an ambitious programme to address the problems associated with recurring droughts in the state of Maharashtra known as Maharashtra Dushkal Mukt Abhiyaan (Maharashtra Drought Free Movement)
The state of Maharashtra faces periodic droughts affecting both the natural resource base and the livelihoods associated with it. In the recent past for example the state has faced drought in 2013. 2016 and in 2018. The more recent one in 2018 was more severe. The drought impacted in very low coverage of Kharif and rabi crops besides drinking water shortage and water and fodder shortage in many villages. The government estimates show that 5859 water tankers were deployed for supplying drinking water besides establishing 1383 cattle camps accommodating more than 1 million livestock.
Given this context, BJS embarked upon the ambitious programme of ‘Maharashtra Drought Free Movement’ (MDFM). The major objective of MDFM is to implement a replicable, community-based water conservation and management plan at the village-level in all drought prone districts of Maharashtra so the state can get drought-free. To attain the above aim, BJS worked with the drought proofing programmes of the Government of Maharashtra and other initiatives of like-minded organisations.
BJS partnered with local communities to ensure that the work initiated by them under the above project reaches its fruition
