NEW DELHI: Government has formed an inter- ministerial task force, to be headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Secretary Nripendra Mishra, to look into all the strategic aspects of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.
A formal notification to this effect was issued yesterday, a top Government functionary said today, adding other members of the team include NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Secretaries in ministries of Finance, Environment, Power and Water Resource.
Besides, Chief Secretaries of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, the states from where the six Indus system rivers flow, will be “invitees” in the task force.
“The task force is mandated with taking all important strategic and policy decisions. It is an all-powerful body which will take decisions regarding the treaty,” he added.
The committee has been formed nearly three months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on the 56- year-old water distribution pact with Pakistan in the aftermath of series of cross-border terror strikes including Uri attack.
In that meeting, it was also decided that India would exploit to the maximum water of Pakistan-controlled rivers including Jhelum. (AGENCIES)
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