15% of GDP be allocated for water: minister

New wave of Covid-19 not alarming, NA told

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Water Resources Khursheed Shah has proposed that the government allocate an amount equivalent to 15% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the annual budget for developing water resources in the country.

 “We have a huge population. We need to allocate more funds for developing water resources,” Shah said on Friday on the floor of the lower house. He was responding to a point of order with regard to the Indian demand to renegotiate the 1960’s Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

Shah told the house that the government immediately responded to the Indian notice with regard to the IWT, a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries.

“We have a meeting in this regard today. What we need to do is to allocate more funds for developing water resources. I suggest that the house also pass a resolution in this regard,” the minister added.

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed displeasure over absence of grade-20 officers of various ministries in the house during the question hour. He referred the matter to the privilege committee while noting that strict action be taken against these officers.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbassi raised the matter regarding the absence of senior officers of relevant ministries.

He said only one senior officer was present during the proceedings while officers of almost eight other ministries were absent. He said the speaker had earlier directed all ministries to ensure the presence of their senior officials during the question hour and the prime minister had also ordered the same.

Despite these instructions, he said, senior officers did not bother to come to the house.

Taking notice of the issue, Speaker Ashraf referred the matter to the privilege committee while noting that the National Assembly Secretariat would also initiate action against the officers.

Parliamentary Secretary Dr Shazia Soomro told the house that the new wave of coronavirus was not deadly and that the situation was under control. “The government is planning to vaccinate schoolchildren against the virus,” he said.