India, July 4 -- With deficit in water supply in Mumbai touching 565 million litres per day (MLD), the state government on Friday announced that a 200 MLD desalination project in Manori will become operational within the next four years. The water charge levied on city residents, however, was expected to increase by around 17 paise per litre after the project was commissioned, industries minister Uday Samant told the legislative assembly.

Samant, also in charge of the urban development department for legislative business, was replying to a question raised by Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi.

The minister informed the assembly that Mumbai currently requires 4,665 MLD water, while the supply available from reservoirs such as Middle Vaita...