Irrigation of farmland: 'Rs 15 million to be allocated for building watercourses'

Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Tuesday said that Rs 15 million would be allocated in the next budget for the construction of concrete watercourses to irrigate farmland.
He was presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister House to review ongoing development projects and to fix priorities for the 2006-07 development budget.
Planning and Development Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Sarwar Khero, Finance Secretary Israr Malik, Irrigation Secretary Shuja Junejo, Secretary to the Chief Minister Sikandri Ali Kerio and Special Secretary Dr Mohammed Ali were also present on the occasion.
The chief minister said that there was 5.185 million hectares arable land available in the province and if water had been made available, 1.3 million hectares could be brought under cultivation.
He said that a cell would be set up to concentrate on the improvement of the Irrigation Department. The cell should make the department effective and draw development schemes to give it a comprehensive and cohesive role to play.
He said that to improve the old irrigation system developed by the colonial masters in 1843, there was a need to create more saline water drains and to complete the ongoing 113 remodelling schemes instead of increasing the number of canals.
He said that the emphasis should be on increasing water availability through its economical and judicious use so that in the next 50 years water shortage did not become a problem.
Arbab said that there were three big barrages in Sindh, which were feeding 1,462 branch canals of varying sizes, distributors and minors. There were more than 8,400 watercourses. "We have one of the best irrigation systems of the world."
He said that concrete measures would be taken to save Sindh from water logging, salinity and erosion of fertile land by sea.