Govt to discontinue WASA subsidy

WASA will operate under local govt, will be independent in making decisions

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to discontinue the subsidy of billions of rupees given to the all five units of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) agencies of the province.

The WASA units will be separated from the development departments which would be run by the Sanitation Regularity Department.

The agency will be independent to increase water rates, recruit working staff and officers. The draft is in the final phase. The housing secretary is working on a draft to finalise legal formalities and other administrative matters.

Desilting campaign to continue: WASA

Multan, Gujranwala and Faisalabad will be segregated from the development agencies and the authority will be established through an ordinance that will be approved by the Punjab Assembly. The WASA will operate under the local government and will be independent in making decisions, including running financial matters and hiring/firing of employees. Also, the WASA Regulatory Authority will have the power to decide whether to lower down the tariff or increase it.

Including Lahore, five WASA agencies including Lahore, have to pay a deficit between Rs1.5 billion to Rs4 billion every year while the Punjab government paid more than Rs15 billion as subsidy.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2019.