Congress questions data centre push in Maharashtra – The Tribune

With Maharashtra declaring drought in 265 of its 358 talukas even as the state pushes to expand its data centre industry, the Congress on Sunday questioned whether scarce water resources would be diverted towards technology projects at the cost of farmers and ordinary citizens.

Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera pointed to the state’s plans to attract more than $300 billion in data centre investments and increase its capacity to 5.7 GW by 2032, asking the Maharashtra Government to explain how it would balance the demands of the industry with those of a state facing widespread water stress.

“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has officially declared drought in 265 of Maharashtra’s 358 talukas, nearly 75 per cent of the state,” Khera said, linking the drought declaration with the government’s aggressive expansion of data centre infrastructure.

He said data centres required two critical resources, power and water and questioned the government’s priorities at a time when large parts of Maharashtra were facing water shortages.