Sindh Water Policy

Background

National Water Policy was formulated in April 2018 by Council of Common Interest (CCI) to provide an overall policy framework and guidelines for a comprehensive plan of action. It demands the provinces to develop their priorities and strategies for sustainable development and management of water resources as the first step to implement the National Water Policy. Hence, there was need to draft a comprehensive Water Policy for Sindh Province by engaging all the concerned departments of Government of Sindh and incorporating the viewpoints of diversified stakeholders in the province; consistent with National Water Policy and addressing the priorities of Government of Sindh to address the issues of water sector & irrigation. Such a provincial policy in Sindh is expected to contribute to the sustainable growth of Sindh Province by a number of elements including:

(a) addressing food security and persistent poverty issues in the province especially in rural areas,

(b) ensuring universal access to water and sanitation and ensure water security in Karachi and other commercial hubs,

(c) improving the productivity of water use in agriculture,

(d) increasing the resilience against climate and natural disaster risks,

(e) addressing the on-going water pollution,

(f) protecting Sindh’s precious wetlands and the Indus Delta, which are internationally recognized to be important,

(g) improving agricultural growth & water productivity on the top. In connection with water agriculture sector development projects specifically WSIP and FAO’s International and local expertise, the PMC Team is also an important part of Sindh Water Policy (SWP) formulation exercise. The preview of the SWP preparatory efforts is given follows.

The PCMU-WSIP, P&DD, after the approval of competent authority, initiated the process of Sindh Water Policy in June, 2019. The Three Tier / administrative, technical stakeholders consultation layers were set up for policy formulation and notified as (a) Steering Committee (SWP-SC); (b) Inter-Departmental Technical Committee (SWP-IDTC); and (c) Drafting Group (SWP-DG). The project team, adopting the universal rule of thumb for policy formulation practices started with commissioning series background studies for diagnosis of water resources sector of Sindh province and further recommendation for policy direction. In total, nine (9) studies were conducted with the help of FAO, World Bank and different Academics, and National & International Experts.

List of Background Studies conducted for Sindh Water Policy (SWP)

  • Institutional Assessment and Reform Proposal in Irrigation Sector
  • Water Law Preliminary Review Study
  • Sindh Integrated Water Resources Management Road Map with a Focus on Keenjhar Lake (KWSB-NED) – Special Study commissioned under WSIP
  • Sindh Ground Water Study
  • Sindh Water Balance Study
  • Sindh Wetlands Study
  • Climate Change and its Environmental Aspects on Water Sector in Sindh
  • Irrigation Water Financing and Abiana in Sindh
  • Water Supply and Sanitation Status of Sindh
  • Socio Economic and Gender Aspect of Water in Sindh

Following the completion of background studies, the Sindh Water Policy Steering Committee was convened by PCMU as its secretariat, which took the charge of policy formulation as main forum, followed by Interdepartmental Technical Committee and engagement of drafting group. The SWP drafting group (DG) after due consultations and deliberations submitted the first draft of SWP to IDTC in March 2021, which initiated further discussions / deliberations on the document. After detailed consultations and comments received from stakeholders and the SWP DG revised and submitted the second draft of SWP in Nov 2021. Since then, it is under final discussions and comments at ITDC level, coordinated by Sindh Irrigation & Drainage Authority (SIDA), Office of Secretary to GoSindh, and Irrigation Department for further step up. This process will continue through SWP Steering Committee and ultimately the SWP document will be submitted to Sindh Cabinet for approval and adoption.

The final version of SWP has been approved by the Steering committe