February 1, 2006	Wednesday	Muharram 2, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: The government has voiced optimism to complete the Rs21 billion Clean Drinking Water for All (CDWA) Project by December 2007.

This optimism was expressed at the second meeting of the Task Force on Clean Drinking Water for All constituted by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to ensure provision of clean drinking water to the entire population of the country by December 2007.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Environment Tahir Iqbal. State Minister for Environment Malik Amin Aslam, State Minister for Finance Umar Ayub Khan, provincial ministers for local government, secretary environment and other members of the task force attended the meeting.

The meeting was held to review the progress of work on the project and finalise the implementation mechanism for the second phase. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the overall progress of the project. The first phase of the project has begun throughout the country.

Tahir Iqbal said that a firm commitment of provincial and local governments would ensure the success of the project for which an effective coordination and implementation mechanism had been worked out. Both the federal and provincial governments have assured their full support to the project.

The minister said that the National Project Implementation Unit had been established at the federal level, while Provincial Project Implementation Units (PPIU) were being set up in each province under the direct control of the respective chief ministers in addition to district implementation committees.

The meeting was informed that 40 water filtration plants had been installed, 56 plants were being constructed, while progress on 53 plants had stopped due to various reasons.

Minister of State for Finance Umar Ayub Khan said that expenditure on non-development activities should be avoided during the implementation of the project.

The road map of the project was approved at a high level meeting co-chaired by the president and prime minister. About 6,035 water filtration plants are to be installed at district, tehsil and union council levels by December, 2007.

The overall project will be reviewed in June 2006 by the president himself.