FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mumbai, January 23, 2019 – The 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG), together with the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA) and the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, launched a blockchain hackathon on January 18 to crowdsource solutions from coders all over the world to improve water resources management in the Indian State of Maharashtra.

“Policies and financing of water recycling and reuse should be an essential planning tool for regulating the water sector,” said Mr. Bakshi, Chairman of the MWRRA. “Launching a hackathon can encourage the use of blockchains and will be an important element.”

Software developers, students, technology companies, and startups with innovative ideas about water resources management are encouraged to register online at https://wrc-hackathon.org. The hackathon will end at 12:00 am (IST) on February 19, 2019. Until then, participating coders will be able to submit their blockchain algorithms for the Wastewater Reuse Certificates initiative, an innovative economic instrument concept that was jointly launched by 2030 WRG and MWRRA to support circular economy solutions in agriculture, industrial, and urban water use. Throughout the entire duration of the hackathon, participants will have access to mentoring and informative webinars to support their efforts.

Hackathon timeline is as per the schedule below:

On February 26, 2019, winning teams in the first, second, and third places will showcase their products and receive their awards at a summit that will be attended by thought leaders from the public and private sectors and civil society. In addition to receiving awards from a prize pool of Rs. 175,000, winners will also get mentorship and support from the hackathon co-sponsors, including the opportunity to scale and implement their applications.

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About the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG)

2030 WRG is a public, private, civil society partnership hosted by the World Bank Group. The partnership supports country-level collaboration designed to unite diverse groups with a common interest in the sustainable management of water resources. 2030 WRG supports the Maharashtra Multi-Stakeholder Partnership in Water and Livelihood Security for Rain-fed Agricultural Areas; Command Area Water Productivity (CAWP); and Wastewater Reuse and Management. See website: www.2030wrg.org.

About Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA)
The MWRRA is an independent statutory regulatory authority established by the Government of Maharashtra to reform the water sector in the State of Maharashtra. It is responsible for the regulation, allocation, management, and utilization of scarce water resources in Maharashtra. See website: www.mwrra.org.

About Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Bombay Chamber of Commerce, which was established in 1836, is one of the oldest Chambers of Commerce in India. In the last decades it has played a significant role in supporting the development of industries in Mumbai by serving as a vehicle of communication between regulatory bodies, the private sector, and civil society organizations. It also advocates for changes that can help their micro, small, and medium enterprise members achieve their business goals. See website: www.bombaychamber.com.

Visit the Hackathon website wrc-hackathon.org
Join our conversations on Twitter 2030wrg #codeforacause #WRCHackahon @BombayChamber @2030wrg @Maharashtra

Contact:

For questions on submissions Karishma Kunder: karishma@blobcity.com
For questions on content Mahesh Patankar: mpatankar@worldbank.org
For media enquiries Alida Pham: apham4@worldbank.org