Workshop on Water Sector Reforms and Water Regulatory Commission in Madhya Pradesh

Under the process of sector reforms, Madhya Pradesh is implementing a Water Sector Restructuring Project with US $ 396 million loan from the World Bank. The project proposes to undertake several institutional and policy changes. These changes would prove to have long term affects on the water sector in the state.

One of the several covenants of the World Bank loan mandate it that the state government enact State Water Regulatory Commission (SWaTReC). According to the information received from the Water resources department, Government of MP, the draft for the Regulatory Authority Bill is ready. It has also been reported that to finalise the draft a high powered committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister has been formed.

If the experiences of the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission and Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority are anything to go by, there is no doubt that in the name of sector reforms the whole process is to commodify and privatise a basic resources need for the sustaining life on this planet.

The World Bank accepts in its Project Information Document (PID) that the objective of the regulatory mechanism is to free the water sector from the political interference. This signals that water would be removed from being one of the social and state obligations to a marketable commodity.

Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Badwani and Prayas, Pune have come together to jointly organize a Workshop on Water Sector Reforms, Water Regulatory Commissions and its implications on the water sector.

The one day workshop is scheduled to be held on the 13th of June 2008 at Gandhi Bhavan, Polytechnic Chauraha, Bhopal (MP). The sessions would start at 9:30 am and end at 4:15 pm. There after a Public Meeting is scheduled with the leaders of the various political parties.

Please click here to find more details on the background and the final schedule of the workshop....