Centre brings Cauvery Water Management Authority under Jal Shakti Ministry

The Centre on Tuesday officially brought Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakthi.

As per the Government of India (allocation of business) 1961, all river boards including Cauvery, Godavai River Management Board and Krishna River Management Board brought under the Department of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvantion in the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the notification issued by President of India stated.

The notifications is just an allocation of business rule which means the Authority will have to report to the Jal Shakti Ministry, said an official.

However officials also clarified that the notification has no impact on the independent nature of the functioning of the authority.

Acting on the Supreme Court's direction, the Centre in June 2018 constituted Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to address the dispute over sharing of river water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.

In February 2018, the apex court had directed the Union Water Resources Ministry which now renamed as Jal Shakti Ministry to form the CWMA within six weeks in a verdict that marginally increased Karnataka's share of Cauvery water, reduced the allocation for Tamil Nadu and sought to settle the protracted water dispute between the two southern states.

The authority would comprise a chairman, eight members besides a secretary. Out of eight members, two each will be full-time and part-time members, while the rest four would be part-time members from states.