ISLAMABAD: Only 25 percent of the funds have been released for water projects in the financial year 2016-17 and several projects have been shelved due to a shortage of funds.
Sources told Daily Times that the government had allocated funds for the projects in the budget for the fiscal year 2016-17 but the funds were utilised on other projects.
Rs. 70 billion was demanded for water supply projects during the previous financial year but only Rs 31 billion was approved. Rs 150 billion were demanded for the next financial year so that maximum work could be done on water projects and the country could be bailed out of the water crisis.
Sources said that the water level in the dams is very low due to a shortfall in rain.
Sources added that the Power and Water Ministry has informed the government that completion of the ongoing water projects and evolving new water projects is the need of the hour.
Experts said that if the water shortfall continues then the water crisis will aggravate by 2025. The major part of the population will move to the areas on riverbeds. The former WAPDA Chairman said that it was not within his reach to complete the work expeditiously without funds.
“How can I complete the work when funds are not released?” he asked. The government had previously sacked the WAPDA Chairman due to slow work on Neelum-Jhelum and other projects.