Nagpur: Maharashtra is poised to become the first state in the country to implement a comprehensive 'Water 7/12' system, an ambitious initiative designed to scientifically record, audit, and regulate water usage, modeled after the traditional land record document known as Saatbara (7/12) land extracts.
The proposal, which represents a major shift in India's water governance framework, was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule at Mantralaya on Monday. The meeting was convened following directives from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and involved senior officials from the revenue, rural development, water conservation, and water supply departments.
Structured Water Records at Local Levels
The proposed system aims to create structured records of water availability, usage, inflow, outflow, and balance at the gram panchayat and watershed levels. Officials stated that the framework would initially be implemented on a pilot basis in selected regions before a larger rollout across the state.
Addressing the Gap in Water Documentation
While Maharashtra already maintains an extensive land documentation system through the 7/12 extract, officials noted that no parallel mechanism currently exists for systematically documenting and monitoring water resources. The absence of a structured accounting system has often made it difficult to regulate consumption, enforce accountability, or accurately assess local water stress.
The concept of a 'Water Audit' and 'Water Balance Sheet' was developed by AqVerium in collaboration with IIT Bombay water expert Avinash Kadam and economist Uday Nair. The framework proposes annual classification and auditing of water resources in three stages to generate transparent and data-driven assessments of local water reserves.
Alignment with Blue-Green Urban Development
Officials said the initiative aligns with broader principles of 'Blue-Green Urban Development' and is intended to strengthen long-term sustainability planning in both urban and rural areas.
Introduction of Aqua Credits
One of the key features of the scheme is the introduction of 'Aqua Credits', a proposed incentive mechanism aimed at rewarding individuals, villages, and communities actively involved in water conservation and sustainable usage practices. The state government believes the system could eventually help create a structured 'water economy' by encouraging measurable conservation efforts.
Senior bureaucrats, including Principal Secretary of Water Supply and Sanitation Parag Jain, Rural Development Secretary Chandrakant Palakundwar, and Water Conservation Secretary Jitendra Papadkar, attended the meeting along with experts associated with the project.
Addressing Water Challenges
The initiative comes at a time when Maharashtra continues to face recurring cycles of drought, groundwater depletion, and uneven water distribution across several regions. By introducing measurable water accounting practices, the state hopes to move toward more transparent and scientifically managed water governance.
