The 23rd meeting of the Standing Committee on Water Resources was held today in the Parliament House, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of MNA Nawab Muhammad Yousaf Talpur.
The committee was briefed about the proposed Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) of the Ministry of Water Resources for the financial year 2022-2023. Secretary Ministry of Water Resources presented an overview on ongoing projects under PSDP 2021-22.
The chair expressed concern about the non-completion of ongoing projects. The committee recommended the issuance of demanded allocation for the timely completion of ongoing projects.
The Ministry of Water Resources informed the committee that the deadline for the submission of proposals as per the Budget Call letter is March 15, 2022. However, interim budget proposals from Water Sector and Hydropower Sector projects are received. The committee scrutinized the proposals in detail and approved projects under PSDP 22-23.
The chair expressed serious concern on unnecessary delay in rehabilitation of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) system and directed the ministry to prepare a comprehensive briefing on LBOD for the next meeting. The committee also directed to invite the Secretary Ministry of Interior for a briefing on ‘The Security of Rawal Dam,’ in the next meeting of the committee.
The committee deferred briefings on ‘The Islamabad Water Conservation Bill, 2021,’ briefing on Hill Torrents Management, discussion on water distribution by IRSA, and briefing on Nai Gaj Dam for the next meeting of the committee. The committee approved the minutes of its previous meeting with some amendments.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Ali Nawaz Awan, Dr. Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhadla, Ch. Javed Iqbal Warraich, Naureen Farooq Ibrahim, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Agha Hassan Baloch, Riaz-ul-Haq, Munawar Ali Talpur, Afreen Khan, Gul Dad Khan and Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak.
