nThe Chhattisgarh cabinet on Thursday cleared a proposal to amend the prevailing water charges for industrial use, thermal power plant and hydel-power projects from January 16, 2020, be it water supplied by the government or from natural resources.
An official statement issued after a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel states that the prescribed water charges will be slashed between 20 and 33 percent for the industrial use of ground water.
The amount of water tax received will be deposited in a ‘Ground Water Conservation Fund’, which will be used to recharge ground water (harvesting).
Earlier, the cabinet observed two minutes silence to pay tributes to late Ravindra Bhediya, husband of Women and Child Development Minister Anila Bhediya.
It was decided to re-establish the category of self-built sources which was earlier deleted in the notification regarding category of industrial water tariff fixation.
Under the self-built category prevailing rates, tariff of natural water source has been reduced from Rs 5 per cubic metre to Rs 3.50 per cubic metre.
Similarly, the Chhattisgarh State Medical Plants Board has been renamed as Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Traditional Health and Medicinal Plant Board.
Clearance has been given for amendment in the Chhattisgarh Industrial Land and Management Rules 2015 where excess land, cancelled land and non-operational units land ownership will be taken back. New applicants will get them.