Punjab Irrigation Minister and Chairman Punjab Irrigation & Drainage Authority (PIDA) Amanatullah Shadikhel has said that a dedicated team of water sector professionals would be constituted to revamp the world's largest contiguous network of canals on modern lines to supply equitable canal water to the farmers. He further said that quality of work of development projects initiated to repair and modernise the colossal irrigation network in the province would be fully maintained.
He was talking to the high-ups of irrigation department during his maiden briefing at the irrigation secretariat on Friday. High officials of the irrigation department attended the briefing; while Chief of Monitoring Habib Ullah Bodla gave a detailed briefing to the minister about the departmental vision and working of the irrigation department along with its role in the overall strengthening of the economy through enhancement in agricultural productivity.
The minister said this system is also helping in increasing agricultural productivity that in result feeds around 200 million people in the country. Originally, this canal network was designed to fulfill water needs of 70 percent cultivable area in Punjab. However, with the passage of time the water needs have risen to 120 to 150 percent. Further he told that farmers' water needs are fulfilled through different means including 50 to 55 percent through canal water, 35 to 40 percent through ground water, while the share of rain water is around 10 to 15 percent.
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