Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority Act (2005)

The Act to provide for the establishment of the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority aims to regulate water resources within the State of Maharashtra, facilitate and ensure judicious, equitable and sustainable management, allocation and utilisation of water resources and fix the rates for use of water for agriculture, industrial, drinking and other purposes. 

The Authority shall exercise the following powers and perform the following functions, namely- 

• to determine the distribution of Entitlements for various Categories of Use and the equitable distribution of Entitlements of water within each Category of Use on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed; 
• to enforce the decision or orders issued under this Act; 
• to determine the priority of equitable distribution of water available at the water resource project, sub-basin and river basin levels during periods of scarcity; 
• to establish a water tariff system, and to fix the criteria for water charges at sub-basin, river basin and State level after ascertaining the views of the beneficiary public, based on the principle that the water charges shall reflect the full recovery of the cost of the irrigation management, administration, operation and maintenance of water resources project ; 
• to administer and manage interstate water resources apportionment on river systems, of the State; 
• to review and clear water resources projects proposed at the sub-basin and river basin level to ensure that a proposal is in conformity with Integrated State Water Plan and also with regard to the economic, hydrologic and environmental viability and where relevant, on the State’s obligations under Tribunals, Agreements, or Decrees involving interstate entitlements.  

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