MA&UD Releases Rs 75 Crore to HMWSSB for Hyderabad Free Water Scheme
The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department has released Rs 75 crore to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) as reimbursement for the 20-kilolitre free water supply scheme. The administrative sanction for the release of these funds was granted to support the ongoing program within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits in Hyderabad.
This financial release on June 1, 2026, acts as a crucial budgetary support to ensure the continuation of the free water supply initiative. The scheme currently benefits more than 6.5 lakh domestic consumers who have registered with the Aadhaar-linked facility across the city.
According to senior HMWSSB officials handling the program, the water board loses approximately Rs 350 crore annually due to the implementation of this free water initiative. Since the launch of the program, the state government has maintained a budgetary provision through the MA&UD Department to compensate the HMWSSB for these financial losses.
The 20-kilolitre free water supply scheme was originally introduced by the previous BRS government in January 2021. It was designed to provide relief to domestic consumers residing within the GHMC limits. Under the scheme, domestic households that consume up to 20 KL of water per month are eligible to receive a "zero water bill."
To qualify for the free water supply, consumers must adhere to strict guidelines. A functional water meter is mandatory for all individual domestic connections, multi-storeyed residential complexes (MSB), and bulk connections to ensure that water consumption is accurately recorded.
Additionally, consumers are required to link their Aadhaar number to their Consumer Account Number (CAN) to avail of the scheme's benefits. However, the government has provided an exemption for households located in designated slum areas, who do not need to install individual water meters to qualify for the free water supply.
