AMMAN —
Water and Irrigation Minister Mohammed
Najjar said on Wednesday, that the government’s allocations, of about JD 678
million, to the water sector are considered “minimal” and that the ministry is
facing “several challenges”.
اضافة اعلان
Speaking at the
Senate Finance and Economic Committee meeting,
which convened to discuss the ministry’s budget, as part of a debate of the
2022 general budget draft law, Najjar said that the earmarked budget for the
ministry and its departments stands at JD678.105 million, of which JD331.506 is
running expenditure and JD364.599 million is capital expenditure. The
ministry’s collective revenue amounted to JD414.810 million.
Najjar added that investing in the
water sector is most
important, especially since debt and interest rates have accumulated
significantly, as the ministry relies on grants and loans from various parties.
According to Najjar, water losses cannot be accurately
calculated due to lack of meters on water sources such as underground water, which
does not enable the ministry to identify and assess the those losses,
particularly in light of violations perpetrated on water sources, stressing the
ministry’s keen interest in expediting the completion of the national carrier
project.
Senator Jamal Al-Sarayyrah made an inquiry about the
ministry’s new projects, especially those related to water infrastructure
reforms, plans to reduce water losses, as well as the mechanisms for resolving
water challenges facing citizens, in addition to the national water carrier
project.
Sarayyrah stressed the need to support the water
sector and provide the ministry with skilled human resources capable of
advancing the sector, noting that water is a key challenge, just as crucial as
energy.
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