This Indian nation with 112 billionaires and wealth exceeding ₹ 63,000 crore will impose water restrictions on its people

Maharashtra to introduce water restrictions for its residents. This comes after it was listed as India’s richest state in the M3M Hurun India Rich List 2026.

The Maharashtra government, headed by CM Devendra Fadnavis, has announced cuts of at least 10% from October 16. These will apply to all urban and rural local bodies after a deficient monsoon. Industries must reuse or recycle at least 30% of the water they use.

The total wealth of Maharashtra is over ₹63 lakh crore, ahead of Delhi and Gujarat. The state has 112 billionaires and 552 people on India’s richest list.

They hold almost 40% of the total wealth in the 20 countries compared. These figures describe stated personal wealth rather than the total economic output of the state.

Mumbai contributes to Maharashtra’s standing, surpassing the said wealth ₹53 million million crowns. The city is home to 93 billionaires. Pune is also among the leading cities, with a wealth of almost ₹7.5 million crowns. Now this concentration of wealth comes with concerns about water supplies.

Some of the richest people in the country live in Maharashtra. Such people include Mukesh Ambani, Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar.

Drought in Maharashtra

On 26 September, the government declared drought in 265 of Maharashtra’s 358 taluks. This covers 74% of the state’s taluks. Low rainfall, limited dam storage and possible El Nino effects have raised concerns. Drinking water will have the highest priority under the new management plan.

Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said his ministry has prepared plans for the dams. By August 31, 2027, they are also counting on different ways of using water. Each dam must maintain an additional 10% emergency reserve. The need for drinking water will be protected until this date.

Officials will factor in evaporation, silting and illegal water extraction when calculating available supplies. Irrigation discharges will be governed by drinking water, livestock and feed requirements. Authorities have also been ordered to prevent leakages and monitor illegal withdrawals.

Local authorities must use treated waste water for gardening, construction and washing instead of fresh water. The Water Resources Department will coordinate with revenue officials and the police.

Together they will work to stop illegal mining from dams, rivers and canals. The government urged citizens to conserve water and use every drop efficiently.

CM Fadnavis said a central government team would visit later this week. It will monitor drought conditions in 265 taluks in 32 districts. The team will assess how severe the drought has become.

It will recommend assistance to affected farmers through central and state disaster response funds. His recommendations will also include immediate action and rehabilitation.