Water sector budget gets 56pc boost

Proposed amount is one-tenth of PSDP

ISLAMABAD: For the first time during its five-year tenure, the PML-N government has increased the budget for water sector by 56%.

The water sector allocation has been increased from Rs36.75 billion in the outgoing financial year 2017-18 to Rs64.62 billion for FY2018-19.

The proposed amount is one-tenth of the proposed size of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) authorised by the finance ministry.

During the Musharraf regime, funds allocated for power sector stood at Rs70 billion, which went down to Rs51 billion during the PPP regime in 2012-13.



During the current PML-N regime, it further dropped to Rs36.7 billion in 2017-18, which amounts to 3.7% of the total federal sector development programme. It was the lowest allocation of funds for water sector when compared with allocations over the last two decades.

The new water policy had recommended increasing funds allocation at 10% of the total federal development programme in FY2018-19 and 20% by 2030.

While commenting on this, an official working closely with the Ministry of Water Resources says, “The sudden increase in the proposed amount for water sector by the current government in its five-year tenure is indeed a positive sign.”

According to the official, one of the major reasons behind the prevailing water crisis in Pakistan is inadequate allocation for water sector in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). He says that since 2014-15, a significant drop in water sector allocations has been noticed.

“Considering the ongoing water crisis in the country, there is a need to keep the water sector on top in the priority list as in the near future, the country is said to hit by a worst water crisis. Therefore, a major amount should be spent on the projects meant for water conservation,” says the official.

According to Annual Plan 2018-19, out of the proposed total allocation for the next financial year, an amount of Rs33.48 billion which accounts for 52% of the total water sector allocation had been proposed during the next financial year for the construction of large, medium and small dams.



This allocation includes Rs23.68 billion for Diamer-Bhasha dam (dam part) and Rs7.82 billion for small, check and delay action dams all over the country.

During the ongoing financial year, major focus remained on timely completion of ongoing priority projects to achieve the planned targets of Vision 2025 and the 11th five-Year Plan.

In view of this, an amount of Rs36.75 billion was allocated for the water sector development programmes during FY2017-18, out of which more than Rs30 billion had been utilised.

During the next financial year, integrated water resources management approach will be adopted as a planning paradigm to overcome water scarcity and to cope with future challenges.