JOIN US The Centre is planning to set up independent bodies in each state, that will decide the tariff to be charged for drinking water.
As per the new draft national water policy 2012, a water regulatory authority will be set up in each state to decide water tariff, monitor operations and suggest policy changes. At present, either the state government or the local bodies fix the water tariff.
The authority will also take decisions on allocation of water for drinking, industrial and agriculture sectors, apart from resolving intra-state water disputes.
“The state government should focus on the regulatory mechanism than service providers. The job of the service providers, including supplying, maintaining distribution system, collection of bills, develop of the drinking water project should be given to community or private sector with the appropriate Public Private Partnership (PPP) model,” the draft said.
The Ministry of Water Resources will soon convene a meeting of water resources ministers of the states. Their views will then be placed before the National Water Council headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before getting final approval, sources in the ministry told Deccan Herald.