Punjab government has launched a comprehensive programme to improve the water resources within the province and to take maximum benefit of available water. In this programme, focus of government is on construction of small dams, rehabilitation of irrigation system, modernisation of barrages, mechanical de-silting, construction of on farm water reservoirs and to stop wastage of water, said provincial Minister for Irrigation, Ch. Aamir Sultan Cheema while talking to newsmen here on Friday.
He said that in current financial year, after health and education, rehabilitation of irrigation network was being given priority and 12 percent of the annual development programme (ADB) had been reserved for irrigation. To improve the energy resources, the government was setting up small hydle power stations on main canals, and Rs one billion were being spent on the project. Projects worth Rs 49 billion were also being implemented to modernise the structures of barrages and for the rehabilitation of century old canals system.