LAHORE, June 17: Of all sub-sectors of the agriculture, the biggest chunk (Rs22.40 billion) went to the irrigation system, which is 108 per cent higher than the Annual Development Programme 2012-13 and 12 per cent of the core annual development plan for the year.
Around 90 per cent of the allocation would go to (15) ongoing schemes and the rest 10 per cent to four new schemes. Under the current allocation, Jinnah Barrage and Khanki, Balloki and Sulemanki headworks would be rehabilitated.
With this money, five small dams would be built in Attock district and one each in Chakwal, Rawalpindi and Jehlum. Put together, the sum would cater to around 30,000 acres in these areas.
Remodelling of SMB Link Canal and enhancing capacity of Mailsi Syphon will be carried out under the ADP. Similarly, rehabilitation of the LCC system and Lower Bari Doab Canal would be completed this year. In addition, 80 kilometres of irrigation channels lining would be completed.
Management of hill torrents (Vidore and Kaha) in the Dera Ghazi Khan area, which created havoc last year, is part of the next year’s annual development plan. The Punjab plans to mitigate environmental degradation and groundwater mining. The government, through the medium term development framework (MTDF) 2013-16, of which the current annual development plan is a part, is aiming to extend and improve drainage, flood protection, hill torrents management and command area development intervention in riverine and rain-fed (barani) areas.