MAPUSA
While senior officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) declined to comment on the government's decision to discontinue the widely promoted 'Save Water to Get Free Water' scheme effective May 1, sources suggest the move may be driven by financial restructuring and a renewed focus on infrastructure accountability.
Launched by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on September 1, 2021, just five months before the 2022 assembly elections, the scheme had earned the distinction of making Goa the first State to offer free domestic water supply — up to 16,000 litres — to households.
The move was hailed as a visionary step towards water conservation and citizen welfare, with nearly 40 per cent of domestic water users benefiting from it.
While PWD officials refused to make a statement, sources confirmed that the government exercised its prerogative in rolling back the subsidy.
“It’s a government policy decision. Just as it was introduced, it can be withdrawn,” a senior PWD official said, declining to elaborate further.
However, the decision has sparked speculation over the State’s financial balancing act.
“The scheme was popular, but it came at a cost. Revenue losses were mounting and this may have prompted a rethink,” a PWD engineer shared.
Consumer rights activist Roland Martins of GOACAN urged citizens to look beyond subsidies and focus on systemic issues.
“Water is a basic right but not necessarily free water. What matters is reliable and equitable supply. The real concern should be infrastructure failures, not just the loss of a benefit,” Martins said.
He called the rollback a “wake-up call” for citizens to hold authorities accountable for service delivery.
“People must now demand answers for frequent pipeline bursts and irregular water supply. It's time to channel this energy into ensuring efficient governance, not just freebies,” he added.
Though the sudden nature of the scheme’s termination has raised eyebrows, political observers believe the government may be preparing the ground for a more sustainable water management policy that prioritises long-term infrastructure over short-term populism.
