The Director of the General Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture's Water Resources Department announced the start of work to ensure volumetric water supply to the agricultural sector following the transfer of water management powers to operators. He noted that only a quarter of agricultural water intakes are equipped with smart meters.
According to IRNA from the Ministry of Agriculture, Amir Hedayati mentioned the development of guidelines for transferring water management responsibilities to agricultural operators and organizations. He added that this document is based on Article 40 of the Seventh Development Plan Law and will soon be published, which may pave the way for implementing a volumetric water supply plan in agriculture.
The Director of the General Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture's Water Resources Department emphasized that the development and publication of rules by the Ministry of Energy regarding the transfer of powers to operators and organizations can contribute to the implementation of the volumetric water supply system in agriculture.
He highlighted the need to increase the involvement of operators in water resource management, stating that according to these rules, part of the Ministry of Energy's responsibilities in agricultural water resource management should gradually be transferred to agricultural operators and organizations so that water resource management is carried out with the direct participation of stakeholders.
Hedayati views the transfer of water management powers to operators as a starting point for serious transformations in this field. He noted that volumetric water supply to farmers has been a long-standing demand of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Agriculture requires accurate information on the volume of available water for production planning and investment. The Director of the General Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture's Water Resources Department added that besides ensuring transparency regarding resources and consumption, volumetric water supply can promote accountability, more precise planning, and more effective operator participation in water resource management.
Emphasizing the role of agricultural organizations in water resource management, he stated that without the cooperation and participation of operators and stakeholders, the implementation of water sector reform projects is extremely difficult, and favorable results cannot be expected from new policies without the active presence of people and organizations in the agricultural sector.
Hedayati reported that since the approval and announcement of the Law on Fair Water Distribution, the Ministry of Energy is obliged to implement volumetric water supply in agriculture in at least 15 annual laws and medium-term programs of the country. However, little success has been achieved in fulfilling this obligation in the field of surface water.
In the area of groundwater, only about 125,000 out of approximately 416,000 authorized agricultural water intakes were equipped with volumetric smart meters, which accounts for less than 25 percent.
The Director of the General Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture's Water Resources Department noted that this situation causes significant uncertainty in the agricultural sector regarding the volume of available water, hindering the development of necessary and reliable plans for investment and business operations.
He identified the lack of sufficient will to implement volumetric supply as one of the main obstacles to water resource management reform, acknowledging that the necessary will to address this issue has not been sufficiently expressed in recent years.
Hedayati suggested that part of the problem may be related to conflicts of interest in water resource management, as volumetric water supply and increased transparency regarding resources and consumption can reveal existing conflicts of interest in this area.
Referring to the high proportion of structural projects in the country's water resource management, he said that structural projects, especially dam construction, divert a significant portion of the water sector's energy and credits, and the strong inclination of leaders in this sector towards implementing structural projects limits the opportunities and resources needed for certain managerial and reformative measures.
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced new regulations regarding partial and full withdrawals from the Provident Fund (PF) Balance. Under the Employee Provident Fund Scheme 2026, waiting periods have been established for early final settlement of PF and receipt of Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) benefits.
These changes have raised questions among employees about how they can utilize their pension savings if needed. The government provided information on these changes in a written response in the Lok Sabha on August 10th.
Questions were posed to the government regarding amendments to the rules for partial and full withdrawal from the EPF balance and employee access to their savings.
The Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandalade, informed the Lok Sabha that the EPFO has set a 12-month waiting period for the early final settlement of EPF. A 36-month waiting period has been set for receiving EPS benefits. This means that EPFO members will not be able to make a final settlement of their entire EPF balance immediately after resignation.
Similarly, members receiving EPS benefits will have to wait the stipulated period of 36 months.
The introduction of a waiting period does not mean that EPFO members cannot make any type of withdrawal from PF during this interim period. According to the government, the EPFO has simplified and made the rules for partial and advance withdrawal from PF more flexible.
EPFO members can withdraw up to 75% of their pension balance under three broad categories. These categories allow funds to be withdrawn from PF to cover expenses during unemployment, in case of a medical emergency, for education, housing, and other urgent needs.
The Labour Minister also clarified that in special circumstances, EPFO members can withdraw up to 75% of their PF balance twice a year without specifying a reason. Thus, despite the waiting period for final settlement, access to a significant amount of PF remains available in case of acute necessity, provided the withdrawal conditions are met.
Questions were raised about the 36-month waiting period for receiving EPS benefits and the requirement to maintain a minimum balance of 25% in the PF account. In its response, the government did not provide detailed information on any specific objections or suggestions from employees, trade unions, or employers. However, the minister stated that a consultation process with all stakeholders was conducted before the rule changes.
The discussion took place at the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of EPFO, which includes representatives of recognized trade unions, employer organizations, as well as representatives of the central and state governments. According to Shobha Karandalade, all amendments were put up for discussion at the 238th meeting of the CBT, where they were thoroughly reviewed and discussed, after which a recommendation was sent to the government for notification.
The government also addressed questions regarding financial difficulties that employees might face due to the new PF withdrawal rules, and issues related to their implementation. The response indicated that the EPFO operates on three levels. Although a waiting period has been introduced for early final settlement of EPF and receipt of EPS benefits according to the new rules, the possibility of partial PF withdrawal to meet urgent needs, housing issues, and in special circumstances will remain, subject to compliance with the established rules and eligibility criteria.
The Cuban authorities are implementing an unprecedented package of reforms that significantly increases the participation of local private initiatives in the Cuban economy. Private companies can now operate in sectors that were previously restricted to state structures.
This step is being taken against the backdrop of a serious economic crisis linked to punitive sanctions from the United States.
The report covers the situation in Havana, relayed by Luis Kirino from CGTN.
