ABSTRACT:

Climate change has further aggravated the situation by increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts, heat waves, and erratic rainfall events. The changing climatic conditions have reduced the reliability of conventional surface and groundwater resources, making decentralized and climate-resilient drinking water technologies increasingly important. The research aligns directly with the objectives of the ANRF–Maharashtra Water Programme by promoting sustainable drinking water technologies, enhancing water-use efficiency, strengthening climate resilience, encouraging interdisciplinary research, and supporting the development of affordable indigenous technologies with strong commercialization potential. A major novelty of the proposed project is the integration of Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) with Atmospheric Water Generation into a unified smart water management platform. Another important innovation of the proposed project is the development of a modular indigenous technology platform capable of producing 5–500 litres of potable water per day, enabling applications ranging from individual households to schools, healthcare centres, remote villages, disaster relief camps, and community drinking water kiosks. The proposed research is expected to generate high-impact scientific knowledge, indigenous technologies, patents, publications, technology transfer opportunities, startup ventures, and policy recommendations