Islamabad - The government has again dropped the much-delayed ‘Conduction of Water from Indus River System of Tarbela Dam for Islamabad and Rawalpindi’ project from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2017-18, reveal the budget documents.

The public welfare project could not get priority of the government though water shortage has had been a longstanding issue for the ever-increasing population of the twin cities.

The project is aimed at improving water supply to residents of the twin cities through conduction of water from Indus River System of Tarbela Dam. According to the budget documents, the project was proposed by the Planning Commission and an amount of Rs100 million was proposed to be allocated in PSDP 2017-18. However, the project was dropped by Annual Planning Coordination Committee (APCC).

The planning commission had proposed to start phase-I of the water supply project. The project, yet unapproved, was estimated at Rs10,000 million out of which Rs5500 million was to be generated from foreign assistance. Not a single penny has so far been spent on the project.

Earlier, the government of Sindh had emerged as a major impediment in materialising the much-needed project to meet present demand of 200 million gallons per day (MGD) and future requirement for the twin cities on a long-term basis.

The provincial government had declined to sacrifice its respective share of water in Indus River for the residents of the twin cities. Rest of the three provinces have had no objection over the project and agreed to sacrifice their respective share of water in the Indus River system so that the residents of the federal capital face no water shortage in future. However, these three provinces too did not agree to put in for the water needs of the garrison city, however, Punjab had announced to exclusively contribute from its share in the Indus River system to the requirements of Rawalpindi city, being part of the Punjab province. Conduction of water from Tarbela Lake was found as the most optimal choice to meet water demand for the twin cities but political differences among the provinces might have once again hit caused delay in the project. 

Furthermore, a total of Rs5188 million have been allocated for PSDP 2017-18 under CADD. An amount of Rs 599 million has been allocated for the on-going and new schemes under the head of physical planning and housing.

The ongoing schemes include construction of mosque at Pak Secretariat, Islamabad (Proposed allocation 200m), construction of additional family suits for the members of parliament including 500 servant quarters at G-5/2 (Proposed allocation Rs 300m).

A new scheme has been including in the PSDP under which boundary wall around the residence of Chairman Senate will be constructed (Proposed allocation for 2017-18 Rs 50m).

Health sector new schemes under CADD included cancer hospital Islamabad (Proposed allocation for 2017-18 Rs 200 million), Establishment of Centre for Neurosciences at PIMS, Islamabad (Proposed allocation Rs 250million), establishment of unit for shredding, sterilisation and disposal of medical waste at PIMS (Proposed allocation Rs 199 million), Extension of FGPC (Construction), Islamabad (Proposed allocation Rs 100 million), Up-gradation of Non-Radiation Diagnostic Services in PIMS, Islamabad (Proposed allocation Rs 198 million) and Extension of Cardiac Centre PIMS (Proposed allocation Rs 400 million).

The new education sector schemes under CADD included establishment of SMART schools in ICT. Rs100 million have been allocated for the purpose in PSDP for year 2017-18. Furthermore, Rs41 million have been allocated for the establishment of Islamabad Model School for Boys, G-15, Islamabad while Rs50 million have been allocated for the establishment of Islamabad Model College for Girls G-13/1, Islamabad in the PSDP for year 2017-18. A big amount of Rs1742 million has been allocated for the on-going scheme of rehabilitation of physical infrastructure of 200 model educational institutions under Prime Minister’s Education Sector Reforms Programme in ICT, Islamabad while Rs100 million have been allocated for up-gradation of ICT high schools.