Wapda providing optimum support to the agriculture sector to enhance produce and stabilise agro-economy of the country, energised 2,832 tube-wells during the first five months of the current fiscal year which is well ahead of the proportionate target set for the said period.
According to the statistics, various distribution companies of Wapda made special efforts in this direction so that the required quantum of water could be made available for the irrigation purpose.
As per details, out of 2,832 total tube-well connections, the contribution of Mepco remained as 991 followed by FESCO with 578, LESCO 433, GEPCO 296 and Iesco 59 tubewell connections in the Punjab.
Qesco energised 220 agricultural tube-wells in Balochistan while Hesco in Sindh and Pesco in NWFP provided 89 and 166 such connections respectively during the said period.
It is worth mentioning that distribution companies of Wapda in view of the drought conditions and water needs of the agriculture sector laid emphasis on maximum contribution towards the agriculture sector and hence provided 21,753 agriculture connections in the length and breadth of Pakistan from 1997-98 to 2002-03.
Of them Mepco provided 5,343, Fesco 2,927, Lesco 2,844, Gepco 1,862 and Iesco 593 agriculture tube-well connections in Punjab. Qesco energised 4,207 agriculture tube-wells in Balochistan, Hesco 2,071 in Sindh and Pesco 1,906 in NWFP.
It is pertinent to mention that in Pakistan, out of large cultivable land base of 77 million acres, only 36 million acres are canal commanded.
The direct rainfall contributes less than 15 percent of the water supplied to crops.
About 106 million acre feet (MAF) of surface water is being diverted annually for irrigation while around 48 MAF is pumped from groundwater.