Team Herald
PANJIM: In a significant policy reversal, the Goa government has officially scrapped its much-publicised free water supply scheme, effective May 1, 2025. The announcement was made through a notification issued by U P Parsekar, Principal Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department and Ex Officio Additional Secretary to the Government of Goa.
The scheme, launched in September 2021, was a flagship initiative of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had declared that Goa would become the first State in India to provide water free of cost to its citizens. Under the initiative, households consuming less than 16 cubic meters of water per month were exempted from paying water bills. At the time, the Chief Minister had claimed that the move would benefit around 60% of households, especially those in flats and complexes, significantly easing their monthly financial burden.
However, the State has now rolled back this benefit, citing no official reason in the notification. With the termination of the zero-bill provision, every household in Goa will now be billed for water usage regardless of consumption levels. The move is expected to impact nearly half of the State’s population who had availed the subsidy.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao condemned the roll-back, calling it a blow to citizens already grappling with inflation. "I strongly condemn this decision, which will only add to the financial burden on citizens during a time of high inflation. What’s next? Will they hike power tariffs as well? It’s shameful that this government seems so insensitive towards the common man," Alemao stated in a post on X.
The policy reversal is seen as a stark departure from the Chief Minister’s Independence Day 2021 pledge, when he promised round-the-clock potable water at zero cost for every Goan household.