ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view changes in the climate and rapidly depleting water resources in the country, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Tuesday reached a consensus on the need to adopt the ‘National Water Policy’.
The participants of the 36th meeting of the CCI chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi here at the PM Office agreed that the proposed policy be brought before the next meeting after incorporating suggestions from provinces for a final approval.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo attended the meeting. Punjab was represented by Minister Finance Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha. Chief secretaries of all provinces and federal secretaries besides senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sartaj Aziz briefed the meeting in detail about the draft National Water Policy. He emphasized that Pakistan was rapidly becoming water-scarce country and that obligations towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) required adoption of an integrated water resource management (IWRM) approach. Population growth and water demands for various sectors of the economy have necessitated urgent measures to enhance the storage capacity, he said.
The CCI was briefed that the draft policy includes strategic initiatives and is in line with the National Climate Change Policy, 2012. It was informed that the draft policy includes establishment of administrative bodies at the federal and provincial levels, including National Water Council and provincial water authorities to improve coordination regarding water resource management.
Statistics Division secretary presented an update on CCI’s earlier decision of carrying out a validation exercise of 2017 census results. The meeting reiterated that five percent validation exercise shall be undertaken through a third party as per the decision taken at CCI’s meeting on November 24, 2017.
Finance secretary gave a detailed briefing on various subsidies being given by the federal government on different commodities, including subsidy being provided to PASSCO for maintaining strategic wheat reserves, subsidy on essential items through Utility Stores Corporation, Ramzan Relief Package and support for export of wheat and sugar.
Published in Daily Times, March 28th 2018.
