In The 2nd meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources, which was held under the chairmanship of Nawab Yousuf Talpur, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) was accused of sidelining Diamer-Bhasha Dam project, which will generate 4500 MW electricity. Planning Division official Mohammad Arshad said that WAPDA is intentionally pushing back the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project and bringing forward the Mohmand Dam project.
WAPDA officials rejected this claim and said that Rs 23.68 billion were allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19 for Diamer-Bhasha Dam project out of which Rs 15 billion have been re-appropriated for Mohmand Dam project. Two PC-1 of Bhasha Dam have been approved while another would be prepared later.
WAPDA officials assured the committee that by the start of 2020, the project would be awarded. The committee was further informed that 86 percent land has been acquired for Diamer-Bhasha Dam while the reaming 14 percent critical land would be acquired in the current year.
The standing committee endorsed all the budgetary proposals of the Ministry of Water Resources amounting to Rs 418 billion. The ministry had demanded Rs 230 billion for 125 new and ongoing schemes of water sector and Rs 188 billion for 17 new and ongoing schemes of power sector.
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