Authority to be Established for River Rejuvenation in the State – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, Aug 2025 : Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved the establishment of the “Maharashtra State River Rejuvenation Authority (MSRRA)” to spearhead the rejuvenation of rivers in the state. Taking a significant step towards reducing pollution in the rivers and ensuring their revival, the Authority will play a developmental role in maintaining the natural flow of rivers and facilitating their rejuvenation, stated Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

A meeting regarding this initiative was held at Mantralaya under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Fadnavis. Present at the meeting were Environment, Climate Change, and Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Ashwini Bhide, Environment Department Secretary Jayashree Bhoj, Director of the Climate Change Cell Abhijit Ghorpade, and Namita Repe from the advisory institution.

Environment Minister Pankaja Munde presented a detailed overview of the structure and concept of the Authority. She mentioned that the Authority would be responsible for approving Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and basin management plans for river rejuvenation, resolving issues related to encroachments, electricity, land acquisition, and recommending select projects for national schemes, among other critical functions.

The Chief Minister will serve as the Chairperson of the Authority, while the Environment Minister will act as the Vice-Chairperson. Additionally, a State-Level Executive Committee, chaired by the Environment Minister, will be operational. This committee will include technical experts, financial and legal advisors, the Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and expert members from esteemed institutions like IITs.

The Authority will undertake extensive work to achieve the sustainable rejuvenation of rivers in the state. A dedicated secretariat will also be established for daily operations, with the Member Secretary of MPCB serving as its head.