Faisal Karim Kundi, Acting Speaker National Assembly on Thursday urged the concerned authorities to expedite efforts for the early completion of Chashma Right Bank Canal project (CRBC). He said this while presiding over a meeting convened to discuss completion of revised PC-1 of CRBC in the Parliament House.
The meeting was attended by heads/representatives of Planning Commission, Wapda and Irrigation department of NWFP. The Deputy Speaker said that delay in the project will cause rise in the cost of the project in monetary terms and will also prolong the suffering of the masses in the areas of the proposed canals.
He said that the idea of the project was conceived in 1960s by Wapda but has not been completed till date. He said the changed socio-political conditions of the area demanded early completion of this project. He said that the early completion of the CRBC project would bring enormous improvement in the economic conditions of the people of the area. The Acting Speaker said that the completion of CRBC will resolve the food problem of the province and will also enable it to provide its surplus produce to other provinces.
He said that the canals would usher in an economic revolution through increase in agricultural produce and establishing industries in the area that will lead to more employment opportunities and generate more income for the people. The meeting was briefed by Syed Hussain Gillani, Secretary Irrigation and Power Department, NWFP.
He said that the CRBC project was important for NWFP because 60 percent of the cultivable land of the province was in the southern districts of NWFP. He said that the project would irrigate 2 Lac 86 thousand acres of land.
He said that in year 2004, the project cost was estimated Rs 25.34 billion which now has been increased. He stressed the need for early completion of the project.
Syed Naseer Ahmed (Water Chief), Planning Commission while briefing the meeting assured that the revised shape of PC-1 of the project will be completed within a month for presentation into the next meeting of Ecnec. The meeting was also briefed by the representatives of Wapda.