A farmer standing on the bund of a Doha structure filled with monsoon water in Yavatmal district

Dilasa Sanstha · Est. 1994

Turning rainwater into hope for farmers in Maharashtra

For 30 years, Dilasa Sanstha has been building water, food, and livelihood security for farming communities across 1,760 villages.

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80G ApprovedFCRA Certified30 Years of Impact18 National Awards

30Years in the field

2.5 Lakh+

households reached with water security, sustainable livelihoods and a better quality of life.

1,760+

Villages covered

17

Districts of Maharashtra

3,000+

Water structures built

95

Villages made tanker-free

18

National awards received

The challenge

Farmers in Vidarbha struggle without water. We are changing that.

In drought-prone regions of Maharashtra, farmers depend entirely on unpredictable rainfall. Lack of irrigation leads to crop failure, debt, and distress.

Dilasa Sanstha works at the grassroots level to solve this by harvesting rainwater and creating sustainable irrigation systems that ensure year-round farming and stable incomes.

Read our story→

An excavated water conservation structure holding the first monsoon runoff
475 km of natural streams rejuvenated through watershed work

Our approach

Four connected ways we rebuild a village economy

Water first, then what water makes possible — healthier soil, steadier incomes, and women with money of their own.

Villagers gathered along a newly excavated Doha structure filled with water

Water and land development

We build Doha models, Phad systems, and recharge pits to conserve water and restore groundwater.

  • Doha model
  • Phad irrigation
  • Recharge pits
  • Watershed development

146 Crore Litres water storage created

Dilasa field staff demonstrating sowing technique to a group of farmers

Sustainable agriculture

We train farmers in organic farming, soil health, and low-cost sustainable practices.

  • Organic farming
  • Soil health
  • Integrated pest management
  • Pata sowing
  • Seed bank
Members of a Dilasa self-help group at a village gathering

Women and livelihoods

We empower women through Self-Help Groups and income-generating activities.

  • Self-Help Groups
  • Bank linkage
  • Enterprise support
  • Skill training

5,000+ Women earning an independent income

A woman farmer with a tractor supplied through a Custom Hiring Centre

Farm mechanisation

We provide affordable access to agricultural machinery through Custom Hiring Centres, helping small and marginal farmers reduce cultivation costs and improve efficiency.

  • Custom Hiring Centres
  • Affordable machinery
  • Timely land preparation

All five programmes→

Featured innovation

The Doha Model: a water revolution

Our award-winning Doha Model is a low-cost rainwater harvesting structure dug into the stream bed itself. It captures monsoon runoff, recharges groundwater and holds enough water for a second crop. Over 3,000 have been built across Maharashtra.

  • Innovative rainwater harvesting structure
  • 475 km of streams treated
  • 95 villages made tanker-free
  • 1 metre rise in groundwater levels
  • Cost-effective and community-driven
  • Scalable across drought-prone regions

How the Doha Model works→

A Dilasa Doha Model site marker beside a stream running full after the monsoon
95Tanker-free villages

Stories of transformation

Lives changed, village by village

Leela Ganpat Chachane with the goats she rears at her home in Yavatmal district

Transformed her livelihood through goat rearing support from Dilasa Sanstha, creating a stable source of income for her family.

Leela Ganpat Chachane

Self-Help Group member · Yavatmal

Khushal Devatale standing beside the Doha structure that irrigates his farm

The Doha Model doubled my farm income by ensuring year-round water availability. Today, I can confidently grow a second crop without depending solely on rainfall.

Khushal Devatale

Farmer · Doha Model beneficiary

Raviraj Pradeep Shete with a tractor hired from his village Custom Hiring Centre

Access to affordable farm machinery in my own village helped me prepare my land on time without depending on private operators, reducing both costs and stress.

Raviraj Pradeep Shete

Farmer · Custom Hiring Centre user

Trusted by leading organisations

SBI Foundation
Azim Premji Foundation
J.C. Flowers Asset Reconstruction
Grand Maratha Foundation
Regal Rexnord
AMPYR
Social Capital Initiatives
European Union
NABARD
Axis Bank
Foundation
Tata Trusts
GIC Re
Dilasa Sanstha leadership receiving recognition at a public ceremony

Recognition

18 national awards for work done in the field

  1. National Recognition, 2026

    Recognised by the Hon’ble Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman

  2. Maharashtracha Panidar Manus Award

    Presented by Devendra Fadnavis

  3. Safaigiri Award, 2017

    Presented by M. Venkaiah Naidu

  4. Jalmitra Sanman, 2018

    Awarded for excellence in water conservation

  5. NABARD Innovation Award

    Conferred by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

Join us in creating water-secure villages

₹2,000 helps strengthen a woman’s livelihood. ₹10,000 contributes to a water conservation structure. Every donation is eligible for 80G tax benefit.

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CSR-1 registered, FCRA certified, with documented outcomes across 17 districts and reporting your board can rely on.

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