The Punjab Directorate of Agriculture Information officials said that the huge amount had been earmarked for the uplift of irrigation system, rehabilitation of watercourses and upgradation of water resources. They said that Rs 7.9 billion had been allocated for the uplift of agriculture and provision of agriculture equipment at subsidised rates, crop insurance and agriculture loans to increase per acre yield.
They added that the Punjab government had planned to shift 20,000 tube-wells on biogas and allocate Rs 18 million for the purpose. “It would save Rs 4 billion from fuel.” The officials disclosed that 62 schemes, including 47 ongoing schemes and 15 new schemes, were included in the irrigation sector during 2013-14 that covered a wide range of water conservation, drainage, flood management, interventions along with programs envisaging irrigation system rehabilitation and development, and institutional reforms.
The Punjab Irrigation System Improvement (PISIP) projects entail extensive irrigation canals and secondary channels re-modelling projects to address irrigation water demand in 25 per cent of province’s overall irrigated command area in addition to province-wise selective lining of distributaries and minors in number of canal commands in saline ground water and high seepage zones.
Development of nine small dams serving for irrigation supplies to over 25,400 acres of rain-fed (barani) farm lands in Pothohar are also included in the ADP. In addition, 100 per cent completion of flood dispersion and structures management to harness and channelize hill torrents in DG Khan and Rajanpur districts to avoid floods in vast areas of southern Punjab are also in the projects.
The agriculture officials said the Lower Bari Doab Canal Improvement Project (estimated cost of Rs 2.98 billion has been included in the ADP). The projects will include the construction of flood embankments and protection works along left and right bank of river Indus for Miranpur Bridge (estimated cost of Rs 1.5 billion). The re-modelling and extension of Tayyab Drain, Rajanpur (estimated cost of Rs 915 million) have been included in the schemes. The details of the other ongoing projects are New Khanki Barrage Construction Project (estimated cost of Rs 2.34 billion on rehabilitation and upgradation of Trimmu Barrage and Punjnad Head Works (estimated cost of Rs 1.81 billion) are also included in Punjab Barrages Improvement Phase-II Project (PBIP-II, Jinnah Barrage (estimated cost Rs 1.267 billion), rehabilitation of LCC System Part-B (estimated cost Rs 1.245 billion) and Punjab Irrigation System Improvement Project (estimated cost Rs 1.153 billion).
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