Shirdi Saibaba Trust Gives Rs 500 Crore Interest Free Loan For Completion Of Critical Irrigation Project 

Shirdi’s Saibaba Temple Trust has provided the Government of Maharashtra with an interest-free loan of Rs 500 crore to complete the impending work on an irrigation project in Nilwande.

This is being done in order to supply adequate drinking water to Ahmednagar district, Times of India reported.

The loan which has no time-frame for the repayment, was sanctioned by Chairman of the Trust Suresh Haware. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Trust and Godavari-Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation.

The total cost of the project is pegged at Rs 1,200 crore and the canal work thanks to the loan sanctioned by the trust. Rest of the budget will be covered by the Department of Water Resources in two instalments of Rs 300 crore and Rs 400 crore in this year (2018) and the next (2019).

Since Shirdi witnesses nearly 3.5 lakh daily visitors during peak season, it faces an acute water shortage in the region. Among those villages that will benefit once the project is done are Akole, Sangamner, Rahuri, Shirdi and Kopargaon.

Considering that this is a public concern, the Trust has made sure that the loan is given free of any interest.