Lower Indus Right Bank irrigation, drainage project to be launched

The federal government would launch Lower Indus Right Bank Irrigation and Drainage Project worth Rs 17.51 billion to provide needed disposal from waterlogged areas to increase agricultural production by improving crop yield and cropping intensities and decrease risk through integrated approach. The Ministry of Water and Power would implement the project through contractor. The irrigation department, Government of Sindh, would be responsible for O & M after the completion of the project. The entire cost of the project is to be borne by the federal government through the PSDP allocation.
According to the document available with Business Recorder, the project is a part of Master Plan of Right Bank Outfall Drainage System which has been proposed mainly as a means of disposing off effluent from the right bank of Sukkur and Guddu barrage commands in Sindh. The main objective of the project is to provide direly needed disposal facilities for waterlogged area so as to increase agricultural production by improving crop yield and cropping intensities and decrease agricultural risks through integrated approach.
The project addresses the issues of seepage losses in irrigation system, water escapage to sea and safe disposal of drainage effluent to Sea. The project is being implemented on the request of local community/farmers. Hence, the Government of Sindh had approached the Federal Government for its implementation and funding.