The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to streamline water distribution as well as demand management, and supply water from new dams using closed pipelines, instead of the present system of using open canals.

The draft of the new water supply policy was approved at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai. This close-conduit system will help reduce leakage, theft, evaporation and loss of water, ensuring more water is available for end users, such as farmers, in times of recurring water scarcity.