Islamabad(    ) The Standing Committee on Water Resources approved all projects of WAPDA for the FY 2021-22 during its meeting held in Parliament House. The meeting was presided over by its Chairman honourable Nawab Muhammad Yousaf Talpur. Chairman, WAPDA, Secretaries, Irrigation Department, Punjab, Balochistan and Additional Secretary, Irrigation Department Sindh attended the meeting through video link. The Standing Committee was informed that WAPDA demanded Rs. 178282 million for FY 2019-20 but the Government has released Rs. 76992/- million so far. The Standing Committee was apprised that WAPDA had divided its projects in three categories. Projects related to Bhasha Dam, Mehmand Dam and Greater Katchi Canal have been given first priority. The Standing Committee directed to include the project of Naulong Dam in first priority for the PSDP of 2021-22, so that this significant project of province Balochistan may be saved from being delayed. Similarly, the Standing Committee directed that the project of Chirrah Dam may also be included in PSDP of coming financial year so that the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad could be saved from shortage of the water. The Standing Committee was informed that some of the provinces did not submit their development proposals. So, the Ministry of Water Resources faced problems to compile the PSDP, timely. Hence, the Standing Committee directed that in the next meeting of the Standing Committee the PSDP related to Federal Flood Commission, IRSA and other departments, attached to the Ministry of Water Resources be submitted before the Committee. The Standing Committee voiced that the Committee was interested in timely completion of projects related to Water Resources. Because, according to the Committee, delay in the National Projects leads to the national loss. Standing Committee was informed that to collect information related to the glaciers, Glacier Monitoring Network would be established. According to the project, basic data about snowfall on the glaciers and melting of the glaciers would be collected on 34 points and a field office would be established at Skardu. Whereas Central Monitoring Research Centre would be established in Lahore. The Standing Committee was apprised that this project is of Rs. 892 million whereas Rs. 225 million were approved for the FY 2021-22. So, the Standing Committee approved Rs. 560 million for FY 2021-22 to complete the project of Glacier Monitoring Network. The Standing Committee approved the projects of billions of rupees including the Hydro Training Institute Mangla, rehabilitation of Hydro Power Project, Dargai, rehabilitation of Hydro Power Project, Chitral, rehabilitation of Hydro Power Station, Warsak Dam, up-rising project of Mangla Dam, Tarbela-IV, Tarbela-V, Hydro Power Project Dasu, Khyal Khawar Project, Neelum Jhehlum Hydro Power Project, Golan Gol Project and others.  
 
           The meeting was presided over by the Chairman, Standing Committee of National Assembly on Water Resources, Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur and attended by Members National Assembly; Mr. Fazal Muhammad Khan, Mr. Ali Nawaz Awan, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Dr. Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla, Ch. Javed Iqbal Warraich, Ms. Naureen Farooq Ibrahim, Ms. Nuzhat Pathan, Mr. Khalid Hussain Magsi, and Mr. Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari. Ch. Shokat Ali Bhatti, MNA attended the meeting through video link. Mr. Saleh Muhammad, Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources was also present in the meeting. Officers from Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation Departments, WAPDA, Federal Flood Commission, Small Dams Organization, Punjab, Chairman and Members IRSA attended the meeting.