Question Hour in NA: Rs216.132bn paid to KP, Rs73.456bn to Punjab, Rs6.360bn to AJK govts under NHP

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water Resources Musadik Malik told the National Assembly that during the last ten years, an amount of Rs216.132 billion was paid to provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Rs73.456 billion to Punjab government and Rs6.360 billion to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government respectively under Net Hydel Profit (NHP).

In a reply to a question of Asad Qaisar in the National Assembly, Musadik Malik said that the outstanding balance to be paid to provincial government with regard to net hydel profit as on March 31, 2024 is over Rs36 billion to government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Rs72 billion to Punjab government and Rs379 million to AJK government while outstanding amount to GB is not applicable.

He said as the government received payment from the Central Power Purchasing Agency for electricity sales, in the same mechanism, payment has been to the provinces under the net hydel profit formula.

Asad Qaisar asked the supplementary question that there outstanding amount of net hydel profit was mentioned as Rs36 billion while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government claims of over Rs90 billion. Musadik Malik said in our record the outstanding is what have presented there but we ready to sit with the provincial government to reconcile the figures to asses why the different figures were there to resolve the issue.

He said Wapda under constitutional provisions pays Net Hydel Profit (NHP) to Govt. of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Govt. of Punjab, while under Mangla Raising Agreement pays Water Usage Charges (WUC) to the AJK government. “Since, no project is operational in GB as such NHP payment to GB is not applicable,” he said.

Wapda recovers NHP and WUC through monthly hydropower sale billing to Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA-G), which releases amounts on its own for payment to provinces. “Wapda simultaneously makes payments to provinces following its receipt from CPPA-G,” he said.

While replying to another question, Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhary Salik Hussain said the flow of Sikh pilgrims to Kartarpur Corridor has reduced due to the restrictions imposed by India and there is no impediment from Pakistan’s side.

In a reply to the question of Tahir Aurangzeb, Minister for Water Resources Musadik Malik presented the report of the PCRWR in the National Assembly during the question hour in the National Assembly based on the number of samples collected, the cities where more 50% drinking water sources were found unsafe due to microbial or chemical contamination are: Bahawalpur (76%), Faisalabad (59%), n (94%), Sargodha (83%), Sheikhupura (60%), Abbottabad (55%), Loralai (59%), Quetta (65%), Hyderabad (80%), Karachi , Sukkur (67%), Badin (92%), Mirpur Khas (100%), Tando Allahyar , Shaheed Benazir Abad (100%), Muzaffarabad (70%), and Gilgit (100%).

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) is mandated to undertake and promote research on all aspects of water resources. The findings and recommendations of country-wide monitoring undertaken by the PCRWR are regularly shared with all stakeholders including provincial governments.

Musadik Malik, in a written reply to National Assembly, said that the PCRWR has also undertaken various initiatives to enhance the technical capacity of water supply service providers such as Public Health Engineering Departments (PHED), WASAs and TMAs.

Currently PCRWR is implementing a capacity building programme for the professionals of PHED to enhance water quality monitoring system in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

After 18th Amendment, he told the National Assembly the responsibility of provision of safe drinking water as well as improving the quality of water rests with the provinces. “Thus, provincial governments can better provide the information on steps being taken in this regard,” he said.

While in another written reply to question of Wajiha Qmar, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination informed the NA that 80 million adult Pakistanis are suffering from Psychiatric issues in the country. It was further informed that all 126 medical colleges across the country have psychiatry departments and 11 major hospital of the country have psychiatric services.