Japan will extend fund for the construction of three small dams in NWFP from its grant-in-aid to provide irrigation water for about 9,300 acres land in three different districts of the province. The proposed dams would be constructed in Charsadda, Dir Lower, and Swabi districts. This was stated by NWFP Small Dams Organisation (SMO) Director-General Engr Raqeeb Khan, while talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday.
He said the government of Japan is funding the NWFP irrigation projects through two means of grant for the infrastructure development and the technical assistance.
He said these three dams have been identified as Palai dam (Charsadda), Sanam dam (Dir Lower) and Kundal dam (Swat).
These dams would irrigate 4,600, 1,700 and 3,000 acres and would cost Rs 198 million, Rs 101 million, and Rs 200 million, respectively.
Engr Raqeeb Khan said that a four-member preparatory mission had already visited the sites, adding: "We have given them all necessary data about the preparation of the projects, which would be analysed by them."
He said that after the return of the preparatory mission to Japan another Japanese delegation namely 'basic designing team' would come to Pakistan to obtain their own data, adding the team would formally sign an agreement with the Government of Pakistan to pave the way for launching construction work on the projects, as it is scheduled to visit NWFP on March 22.
The feasibility of these small dams have been made by the provincial irrigation department, he said, and hoped that the work on these projects would start within two years.
He, however, said that formal agreement for construction of these dams would be signed before the end of the current financial year.
Besides seeking grant, the provincial government had also requested the government of Japan for technical assistance to prepare feasibility reports of small dams in southern districts of the province, which will require an amount of Rs 43.9 million, he said, adding that the mission for this purpose has yet to come.
"The scheme had already been sent to the mission concerned in Japan as the grant programme is for 2004-06", he said.
For construction of more small dams, he said that the PC-I of 20 dams had already been sent to the Planning Division of the federal government.
He said these projects have already been approved by the Ministry of Water and Power and after getting approval from Central Working Development Party (CDWP) would be presented in the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for final approval.
The CWDP approved projects worth up to Rs 200 million, while the approval of schemes requiring big amounts have to be passed by Ecnec, he added.
He said that the construction of 20 small dams in NWFP requires Rs 3.6 billion, adding for the construction of Tank Zam, the federal government had already approved it, and Rs 3.3 billion has also been sanctioned in the annual development programme of the federal government. After its completion, the dam would irrigate about 100,000 acres land.
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