Govt prioritizes integrated water resources policy

Kathmandu, March 22 - The government is preparing to unveil integrated national water resources policy. 
At a programme organized by Water and Energy Commission here today on the occasion of the Nepal National Water and Meteorology Week, Minister for Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun said that the government was working with the plan to bring integrated water resource policy. 
"The country has already entered into federalism and we are planning for the integrated water resource policy meant for making framework on multipurpose use of water resource," he added. 
We will make efforts to incorporate the jurisdictions of the federal, province and local governments, he added. 
Minister Pun said that the government would bring policy by taking recommendations from the experts and the policy would be implemented. 
Minister Pun was of the opinion that water resource was the nation's base of prosperity and unity, thus integrated master plan would be made to move ahead. 
On the occasion, Secretary of Commission Dr Ramesh Prasad Singh said that water resources should be distributed in a proportional manner in irrigation, drinking water and hydropower sectors. 
During the programme, former secretaries Dhan Bahadur Tamang, Shital Babu Regmi, Mahendra Nath Aryal, Shree Ranjan Lakaul and other speakers stressed the need for government's institutional capacity development for the proper use of water resources.