Punjab Water Policy 2018.

This Punjab Water Policy is a sectoal policy document at provincial level. The overall objective of Punjab's Water Policy is to provide clear policy directions to the Government of Punjab on the sustainable management and development of water from all sources of water (surface water, groundwater and rainwater), for all sub-sectors of water use (domestic, stock water, agriculture, industry, commercial and environment) and for all regions (Indus basin canal commands and outside the canal commands) at the basin level through equitable water allocations, management and development.
The Policy contributes to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. The first 3 priorities for the consumptive and non-consumptive uses of water are set as: 1. Drinking and Sanitation (WASH); 2. Irrigation; 3. Livestock, fisheries and wildlife. The specific objectives of the Policy include: 1. Rigorously pursue Demand Management through water conservation, improving irrigation efficiency, increasing water productivity, adjusting cropping patterns, developing water-food-energy nexus and population control; 2.Enforce Drinking Water and Sanitation Standards in urban and rural areas through construction of water treatment plants, sewage disposal, solid waste management, proper landfills siting and management; 3. Increase Water Availability through advocacy of construction of large dams at Federal level, construction of small and medium dams , beneficial use of flood waters, reallocation between sectors and recycle and reuse of wastewater.
The Policy adopts Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach, a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in a hydrological basin in order to maximize economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. The specific objectives of the Policy include: 1. Manage Groundwater Abstraction to balanced recharge levels through regulation, reallocation of canal allowances, induced recharge and monitoring; 2 Improve Water Quality of surface and groundwater through control of pollutants discharge from agriculture, industrial, municipal wastes and over abstraction of groundwater near saline groundwater zones; 3. Maintain the Land Resource through control of waterlogging and salinity, soil conservation, afforestation, watershed management, protection of wetlands and Ramsar sites; 4. Improve Water Governance through adopting IWRM approach, institutional reforms, strengthening and capacity building, farmers and other stakeholders participation; 5. Ensure Financial Sustainability through adequate and regular maintenance of water infrastructure, proper water pricing and effective project management of rehabilitation and new works; 6. Adroitly Address Transboundary Issues with other provinces and internally through structured negotiation and dispute resolution methodologies; etc.
The Policy contributes to reduce rural poverty through equitable water allocations, management and development.
The Policy seeks to increase the resilience to disasters. It proposes to adapt to climate change, floods, drought through combination of structural and non-structural measures under short, medium and long term scenarios.