Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms has rejected the Ministry of Water Resources demand for 262 percent escalation in its budget for 2019-20 under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and directed the Ministry to review its demand and prioritize its development projects within Rs70 billion.
Ministry of Water Resources had proposed Rs230.55 billion development budget for 2019-20 compared to the current fiscal year 2018-19 with Rs63.62 billion.
According to documents available with Business Recorder, Ministry of Water Resources proposed allocation for 2019-20 received from WAPDA, four provinces, Water Sector Capacity Building and Advisory Services Project (WCAP) and Federal Flood Commission in respect of federally funded on-going and new water sector projects is Rs230.55 billion including Foreign Exchange Component (FEC ) of Rs10.5 billion.
WAPDA proposed Rs 188.47 billion worth of projects including Rs 53.95 billion foreign exchange component for hydropower projects - 130.9 percent higher allocation compared to current fiscal year's Rs 40.67 billion. WAPDA proposed Rs 88.77 billion for on-going development projects and Rs 5.15 billion for new projects.
WAPDA also proposed Rs220 million feasibility study of Murunj Dam Nila Kund on Kahal Hill Torrent Project (Punjab) Rajanpur, Rs1.5 billion for Kachhi Canal Project (remaining work) Phase-I Distrcit Dera Bugti, Rs225 million for feasibility study of Zai Dam Project district Zohb Balochistan.
Ministry of Water Resources proposed Rs19.52 billion including Rs15.52 billon for on-going projects and Rs 4 billion for new projects of Punjab province. A total of Rs26.968 billion was proposed including Rs22.968 billion for on-going and Rs4 billion for new projects of Sindh Province; Rs14 billion including Rs5.3 billion for on-going and Rs8.7 billion for new projects was proposed for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP); and Rs49.84 billion development budget including Rs38 billion for on-going and Rs11.8 million for new projects of Balochistan province.
According to documents, the Ministry of Water Resources proposed Rs25 billion including Rs10 billion for on-going and Rs15 billion for new development projects of Federal Flood Commission for next financial year.
Ministry Water Resources had proposed the following: (i) Rs252 million budget estimate for Duhnial Dam Tipurpose Project (4000 MW) Muzzafarabad, (ii) Rs1.8 billion for Dargai Hydroelectrci Power Station Rehabilitation and Capacity Enhancement from 20 to 22 MW Dargai Malakan KP, (iii) Rs90 million for Lower Palas Hydropower Project Kohistan KP and (iv) Rs200 million for Pattan Hydro Power Proejct (2400 MW) Kohistan KP.