Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today called for appropriate pricing for groundwater extraction, saying that the commission was examining the issue of levying cess on users of groundwater for non-drinking purposes and commercial use like the bottled water industry, especially in over-exploited areas. This cess could be utilised for developmental purposes and welfare of weaker sections. Dr Ahluwalia said as an economist, he was of the opinion that it was not rational to allow anybody and everybody to freely extract groundwater without paying an appropriate price.