ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Despite spending over Rs7 billion, the government has so far set up only 1,173 water filtration plants out of the total 6,638 planned across the country under the Clean Drinking Water for All (CDWA) project.

According to documents, out of the installed 1,173 plants, 467 plants were not working for want of proper operation and maintenance. As the federal government is transferring the Ministry of Special Initiatives, looking after the project, to the provinces, chances of completing the project have become grim.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the project presents a pathetic picture as all of the 237 plants are not working. In Punjab, out of 153 installed plants, 82 are not in working condition. In Sindh, out of 353 installed plants, 75 are inoperative. However, Balochistan is maintaining a good record as 358 filtration plants are in running condition, out of the total 407 installed there. Reliable sources say during a recent meeting, provincial governments have threatened to cap the project if the federal government did not provide them funds.

“Despite availability of funds, provincial governments' complete lack of interest has failed us in moving this project of pivotal importance ahead,” Lal Mohammad Khan, federal minister for special initiatives, told Dawn. “Now, when the entire responsibility of the project is being shifted to provinces, only God knows what happens next,”

The minister said for the last two years, his ministry “tirelessly tried to woo the provinces for timely completion of the project, but they remained unmoved”. Mr Khan's ministry is one the federal departments being shifted to provinces under the 18th amendment.

The minister said the Punjab government misspent around Rs2 billion given to it for setting up water filtration plants. “I have come to know that money was instead shifted to Sasti Roti programme. Whenever we talk to them, they only ask for more money.”

The minister said the other provincial governments only talked about money, adding nobody was interested in the project's implementation. He regretted that because of the provinces' indifference, the installed water filtration plants were going out of order.

About its financial aspect, the minister said under the National Finance Commission award, the provincial governments had already been transferred enough funds which they could use for the project. “Once shifted, liabilities of the project also lie with provincial governments.”

Asked if he was satisfied with the dissolution of his ministry, he said, “it is fine with me but I strongly believe the federal government should keep the control of the project one way or the other.”

According to the repeatedly revised PC-I of the project, it would cost national exchequer Rs23.8 billion under which 6,638 water filtration plants were to be set up at union council level. Conceived in 2004, initially, the Ministry of Environment was given the responsibility of executing the project. In 2006, it was transferred to the Ministry of Industries and Special Initiatives. In August 2009, the government divided the ministry into two ministries – industries and special initiatives.

Besides allocation of funds, the Ministry of Special Initiatives had a supervisory role, as provincial governments were made the implementing agencies.

From the outset the bone of contention between the federal and provincial governments was financial control of the project.