ISLAMABAD: The government has called a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on March 21 to approve the country’s first National Water Policy that seeks, among other things, the full cost recovery of operations and maintenance (O&M) of water infrastructure from its users.

The meeting will take up a 4-point agenda. Top on the list is the National Water Policy already cleared in principle by the federal cabinet a few days ago after a draft finalised by deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz in consultation with provinces and other stakeholders.

The CCI will also take up the issue of re-verification of five per cent census results on the demand of the Monitoring and Oversight Committee of Senators.

Independent experts had advised the government that a revalidation exercise almost a year after the actual census would lead to more confusion than revalidating the original results.

The CCI meeting, to be presided over by the prime minister and attended by provincial chief ministers, is also expected to endorse decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, mostly relating to financial matters and have a presentation by Pakistan Alliance for Mathematics and Science – an NGO.

The policy addresses issues relating to enhancing water storage capacity, conservation, research and development, capacity-building of existing administrative departments, allocation of financial resources and establishment of the institutional set-up at provincial levels.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2018