World Bank is considering to provide 30 million dollars grant for improvement in water resources management and development in Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda). According to official sources, the Wapda will co-ordinate the large investments in water projects and to expand the electricity network across Pakistan. Consistent with this mandate, this component will provide strategic support to the Wapda to enhance its activities. This financial help would include upgradation of existing tools, databases, models and management systems, seasonal, monthly and 10-daily planning and operational models and revise Indus Basin model, develop additional systems of client interfaces, to make these tools for water, power planning and operational and their linkage and/or transfer to Irsa and to the provincial institutions. This would also be implemented in close collaboration with Irsa and interfaces would be developed for exchange of information, data, models and other tools between the Wapda, Irsa and provinces. Under this project, sediment management studies for the Indus system in particular possibility of flushing sediment through Tarbela reservoir, downstream impact, upstream development of water storage facilities, feasibility level designs of sediment flushing facilities etc. The tools and models would be developed for future use by the Wapda in continuing work on sediment management as further development of the Indus systems proceeds. Bathymetric surveys of major reservoirs and provision of modern bathymetric equipment and systems and training in bathymetric surveys. Under this project, it was planned to prepare power investment plan, with a focus on hydropower development in the upper Indus and conjunctive operation of dams and other infrastructure. Development of asset management plans for major infrastructure managed and operated by the Wapda and safety inspections by national and international panel of experts, etc. Other laboratory equipment for site investigations and quality control of construction and training in use of these equipment possibly under specific pilot projects. Under this proposed project, preparation of feasibility studies and designs for quickly/easily implementable hydropower plants suitable for financing by international financing institutions, etc without any trans-boundary and riparian issues. These studies would also include environment and social assessments, and environment/social management plans according to the government of Pakistan and the World Bank. In updated project report, the World Bank experts said that the key lessons from similar projects in Pakistan, Indonesia and from experience world-wide with technical assistance (TA) projects that were incorporated in the project design included the following: -- Rules and procedures governing the implementation of technical assistance operations should be simple and streamlined to reduce transaction cost and ensure speedy implementation. This is achieved under this assistance by having PSC authorised to approve any changes, additions and studies/activities that may have to be included depending upon the need etc instead of seeking the government approval for each activity. An umbrella PC-II would be approved for the project, which would cover all activities to be undertaken with the approval of the PSC. -- The Ministry of Water and Power (MoWP) Secretary would have full authority to decide on most matters relating to the award of contracts for studies, disbursements and other administrative matters. The technical assistance would be managed and co-ordinated by the Director of Project Management and Policy Implementation Unit (PMPIU) on a day-to-day basis. The PMPIU of the MOWP has sufficient technical and management capacity to manage and co-ordinate with other implementing agencies. -- Excessive complexity in terms of institutional participation is avoided by limiting the technical assistance to the Federal institutions and main river system and complementarities are established by linkage to the provincial institutions through the proposed technical assistance. -- Technical assistance and consulting services contracts are packaged to the extent possible in order to avoid lengthy procedures and overhead in selection, monitoring and management of these contracts. -- Measures are introduced to improve procurement and management of contracts such as establishment of procurement, website etc. This would reduce the number of disagreements, arguments and disputes, allowing focus on delivery of outputs and outcomes. Copyright Business Recorder, 2008