1. Maharashtra Water Resources Integrated Water Resources Management
Regulatory Authority
Objectives, Functions,
Achievements & Challenges
Dr. Suresh A Kulkarni
Secretary,
MWRRA, Mumbai
MWRRA
National Workshop on
Integrated Water Resources Management
New Delhi, 2-3 February 2015

2. Water Resources of Maharashtra
Surface water allocated
to the State =126 BCM
Groundwater = 33 BCM
MWRRA
Industry
Industry
Domestic
Domestic
Irrigation
Irrigation
Surface water

3. Water demand Scenario in Maharashtra
MWRRA

4. MWRRA About MWRRA Established by statute in June 2005
Became operational in August 2006
One of the components under ‘Institutional Restructuring and Capacity Building’ of the MWSIP
First regulatory body functional in
water sector in India
MWRRA

5. MWRRA Objectives of MWRRA
to regulate water resources within the State,
to facilitate and ensure judicious, equitable and
sustainable management, allocation and
utilisation of water resources,
to fix the rates for use of water for agriculture
industrial, drinking and other purposes,
to act as the State Groundwater Authority.
MWRRA

6. MWRRA MWRRA Organization Chart CHAIRMAN Member Member Secretary
(Water Resource Engineering)
Member
(Water Resource Economy)
Special Invitees
(Five River Basins)
Secretary
MWRRA
Supporting Staff
Sanctioned Posts
Filled-in Posts
Technical 11
Non-Technical 26
Technical6
Non-Technical 17

7. Key Functions
To determine criteria for bulk water tariff for various categories of users in consultation with beneficiary public,
To determine the criteria for the distribution of entitlements by RBAs within each category of use after sectoral allocation is made by the government,
To determine the priority of equitable distribution of water available at water resource project, sub-basin and river basin levels during periods of scarcity ,
To clear water resource projects as per the Governor’s directive for removal of regional imbalance in irrigation development,
To act as the appellate authority for dispute resolution relating to entitlement between WUE & RBA,
To support & aid the enhancement & preservation of water quality,
To act as the State Ground Water Regulatory Authority, and
To promote and implement sound water conservation and management practices throughout the State;
MWRRA

8. Determination of the Criteria for Bulk Water Tariff (CBWT) – Step by step procedure
Prepare an Approach Paper
Discuss the Approach Paper with Stakeholders statewide
Prepare revised draft CBWT based on the feedback
Present and discuss at the state level workshop
Holding regional consultation with stakeholders
Refining and revising draft criteria and circulating among experts, NGOs, WRD
Finalizing CBWT and sending it to WRD
Tariff proposal prepared by WRD and sent to MWRRA for scrutiny
Preparing a brief tariff proposal and circulating at all talukas
Modifying tariff proposal based on the comments received
Issuing tariff order by MWRRA and WRD
MWRRA

9. Allocation of weightages to parameters in cost matrix (Tariff exercise 2013 – 16)60 10 10 20
MWRRA
Agriculture
Domestic
Industry

10. Area-based water rates in Maharashtra (Rs./ha) (2010-13)
Sr. No
Crop
Kharif
Rabi
Hot Weather 1
Cereals & other
240 - 2
Groundnut
350
700
1050 3
Vegetables & Onion
600
1200
1800 4
Paddy
480
720 5
Wheat
470 6
Other Rrabi 7
Chilli, Ginger, Tur
120
360 8
Cotton
450
900
1350 9
Sugarcane, Banana
2100
3140 10
Horticulture
790
1580
2350
MWRRA

11. Irrigation rates for some major crops in select states (Rs./ha)
Paddy
Sugarcane
Wheat
Groundnut
Maharashtra
480
6290
470
724
Andhra Pradesh
370
864 --
247
Bihar
217
185
Chattisgarh
494
741
200
Gujarat
360
300
160
Karnataka
988
148
Madhya Pradesh
155
960
125 75
Rajasthan
198
287
114
Uttar Pradesh
474
212
MWRRA
(CWC, 2010)

12. MWRRA
(WRD, GoM)

13. MWRRA

14. Authority’s Role in Regional Backlog Removal
To ensure Governor’s Directives regarding removal of Irrigation backlog while clearing new projects
To ensure that available man power is used in new projects in Backlog areas
To review on quarterly basis implementation of projects
Authority has cleared 189 projects for backlog removal since its inception
Vidarbha

15. Entitlement Programme of Irrigation Projects
Entitlement means any authorization by any River Basin Agency to use the water.
It involves issuance, enforcement, and implementation of Bulk water entitlements to
WUAs.
Installation of a measuring device is a pre-requisite for the bulk water supply
MWRRA
Entitlement programme commenced from
By March 2014, 256 projects comprising 1368 WUAs & covered 0.62 million ha
Entitlement enabled bulk water supply of WUAs on volumetric basis
Jointly with WALMI, workshops for WUAs, Regulators, and Field Officers are organized annually
Need to up-scale the programme on the remaining projects covering about 4.4 million ha.

16. Entitlement Programme - Performance Indicators
Base line
Remark
Water Use Efficiency
(ha/Mm3)
78.5
104
140
For select schemes
Increase in Income
(Rs./1000 m3)
3,532
5,032
6,564
Source: Annexure 19 of Status Report for World Bank Implementation Review & Support Mission, J an 7 – 19, 2013.
MWRRA
Authority carries out “Evaluation of Determination, Enforcement, Regulation & Monitoring of Entitlement in Projects for Kharif, Rabi &Hot Weather Season” of the entitlement program every year. Evaluation Reports from onwards have been posted on the website. Impact of Entitlement Program is as under,
Indicator
Percentage of projects receiving more than 80% of Applicable Entitlement
32%
(29 / 90)
31%
(58 / 189)
47%
(75 / 161)
As the rehabilitation works progress, this trend is expected to increase further.

17. Holding of statewide stakeholder consultations/public hearings, workshops is an integral part of the decision making process of MWRRA

18. MWRRA issued an order on 19 September 2014 related to equitable distribution of water between upstream reservoirs and Jayakwadi dam of the Upper Godawari sub basin
MWRRA

19. For promoting sustainable and judicious use of water, Authority has issued a Notification on 16 January 2015 for making mandatory use of Drip & Sprinkler irrigation methods for perennial crops grown on three projects on pilot basis Will be up-scaled to all the projects in the State by June 2019
MWRRA

20. Preservation of water quality in rivers and water bodies in the State
Clause 12(5) of the MWRRA Act requires MWRRA to support and assist the enhancement and preservation of water quality in the State in close coordination with the relevant State Agencies
To discharge this function, MWRRA is liaising with
MPCB,
Environment Dept,
WS&SD (MJP included), and
MIDC.
Effective interaction and support from these line agencies is lacking
MWRRA

21. Groundwater regulation
Maharashtra
Groundwater Act (no.26
of 2013) is enacted for
sustainable and
equitable groundwater
supply and regulation
with community
participation,
Act has become
effective since
1st June 2014
MWRRA

22. Key Activities
MWRRA to function as the State Ground Water Authority ,
Notification to be issued for over exploited / critical, watersheds by Authority through consultative process,
Registration of all wells owners and drilling rig owners/ operators,
Deep tube / bore wells (> 60 m) to be banned in notified areas,
Constitution of District watershed management Committee (DWMC),
Constitution of Watershed Water Resources Committee (WWRC) of stakeholders in notified areas,
Preparation of Integrated watershed Development and Management Plan, and
WWRC to prepare annual groundwater use plan, promote community participation, artificial recharge, and grant permission for new wells.
MWRRA

23. Documents/ Reports brought out by MWRRA
Technical Manual for Fixing, Regulating and Enforcing the Entitlements in Irrigation Projects, 2007
Technical Manual for preparation of State water Plan for Basin, 2007
Guidelines on Powers & Functions of Regulators & Responsibility of WRD Officials
Criteria for Distribution of Entitlement by River Basin Agencies for Domestic and Industrial Uses, 2012
Approach Papers on Preparation of criteria of Bulk Water tariff
Criteria for Determination of Bulk Water Tariff, ;
MWRRA (Recruitment & Conditions of Service of Employees) Regulation 2013
MWRRA (Conduct of Business) Regulation 2013
MWRRA (Fees & Charges) Regulation 2013
Policy for Project Clearance - draft circulated for consultation
Annual Reports( , , , , , ,
MWRRA

24. Conclusions and Way Forward
MWRRA as a regulator is successful in –
determining the criteria for bulk water tariff for agriculture (irrigation), domestic and industrial uses,
implementation of entitlement program in 256 projects and 1368 WUAs covering 0.62 million ha,
developing liaison with MPCB, MIDC, GSDA, MJP, Agri. Dept., besides WRD; and also NGOs,
resolving disputes related to water allocation
Transparent and inclusive decisions based on wide consultations with stake holders
Steady increase in volumetric supply and charging of water to WUAs,
Help foster formation of WUAs; no of WUAs doubled during to 2014,
MWRRA

25. Water Sector Regulations in Maharashtra –
Challenges Ahead
Preparation of Integrated State Water Plan (ISWP),
Conversion of existing Irrigation Development Corporations (IDC) in to River Basin Agencies (RBA),
Increasing non-irrigation demands,
Groundwater regulation,
Adoption of drip/sprinkler system for perennial crops in command area,
Controlling pollution of rivers/ waterbodies,
Implementation of e-flows in rivers.
MWRRA

26. Visit us at www. mwrra.org

27. Thank you for
The attention!