Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Monday said the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has unanimously decided to install telemetry system at reservoirs for ensuring equitable distribution of water among the provinces.
The 41st CCI meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by all four chief ministers, decided to constitute a committee comprising water experts to formulate its recommendations in this regard and submit the same within a month.
Briefing the media here about the council’s decisions, Dr Firdous said the CCI discussed a 23-point agenda and took most of the decisions on pressing issues with consensus. The provincial representatives used their democratic right and gave input on all the issues, she said.
All the participants of the CCI meeting, she said, vowed to serve the people and provide them basic amenities. The year 2020 will prove to be the year of economic growth and complete eradication of polio from the country.
The council approved the petroleum exploration policy and reviewed Sindh’s concerns about the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). It also postponed Chashma Right Bank Canal power project.
The CCI decided to constitute a high power committee to prepare recommendations regarding net hydel profit while another expert committee will be formed to submit technical advice on vital issues. The fixation of royalty for liquified petroleum gas (LPG) will be made on the basis of its sale/purchase price in consultation with the provinces.
The meeting also decided to take the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) into confidence for determining the tariff before starting any energy project.
The CCI decided to appoint skilled persons as chief executive of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in consensus with the provinces.
The meeting viewed that a uniform syllabus and uniform system of education, evolved in consultation with the provinces, should be implemented across the country.
The council approved certain amendments in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) ordinance.
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the 41st meeting of Council of Common Interests after a gap of more than a year. All four chief ministers – Mahmood Khan (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa), Sardar Usman Buzdar (Punjab), Jam Kamal Khan (Balochistan) and Syed Murad Ali Shah (Sindh) – attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan said all provinces will be given their fair share. He said the government will resolve all the complexities pertaining to the issue of allotment of funds.
Rules dictate that the CCI should meet at least once every 90 days but it had not been convened since November 2018. On December 18, President Arif Alvi had reconstituted the CCI on the prime minister’s advice. According to the notification, the new council would comprise seven members and would be chaired by the prime minister. Members of the council would include chief ministers of the four provinces and nominees of the federal government.
Nominees from the federal government included Planning Minister Asad Umar, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Fehmida Mirza, and Power Minister Omar Ayub.
An earlier session of the CCI meeting scheduled for December 11 was postponed owing to the excess agenda shared by Sindh.
