MUMBAI, MARCH 31: The State Government announced that the Maharashtra Waterwealth Planning and Control Authority would be established within three months for better planning and control of water sources in the State. Answering a starred question tabled by Madhu Chavan and others, Minister for Command Area Development Balasaheb Thorat said that the new body was taking shape and even the recommendations of the Chitale committee report submitted in September 1999 on water planning were being examined. He further said that big and medium irrigation projects would be controlled by the new entity, which would have the authority to plan and control the distribution of water in the State. However, Opposition member Eknathrao Khadse questioned the propriety of creating another authority when the Chitale committee had already suggested exhaustive measures on the issue. The Minister for Irrigation, Padamsingh Patil told the House that before giving final touches to the new authority, a joint meeting with the Opposition would be convened to take them into confidence.
