- Policy to be approved in next CCI meeting after incorporating suggestions from provinces
ISLAMABAD: The Council of Common Interests (CCI) Tuesday reached a consensus on the need to adopt the National Water Policy (NWP), keeping in view the changes in the climate and rapidly depleting water resources in the country.
The 36th meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi here at the PM Office. The participants agreed that the proposed policy should be brought before the next CCI meeting after incorporating suggestions from provinces for a final approval.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo attended the meeting whereas Punjab was represented by Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha. The chief secretaries of all the 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 NWP. It was emphasised that Pakistan was rapidly becoming a water-scarce country and obligations towards sustainable development goals require the adoption of integrated water resource management (IWRM).
Population growth and water demands for various sectors of the economy necessitate urgent measures to enhance storage capacity, he added.
The CCI was further briefed that the draft NWP includes strategic initiatives and was in line with the National Climate Change Policy 2012. It was informed that the draft NWP includes the establishment of administrative bodies at the federal and provincial levels including a 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 census results 2017. The meeting reiterated that 5 per cent validation exercise shall be undertaken by a third party as per the decision taken at CCI’s meeting on November 24, 2017.
The 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.
Pakistan Alliance for Mathematics and Science also gave a presentation on the way forward for promoting science and mathematics education in the country.
