HARIPUR, June 13: The provincial government has decided in principle to enhance the rates of Abiana in the new fiscal year.

This was stated by provincial minister for irrigation, Zakat and Ushr Hafiz Akhtar Ali, at the inaugural ceremony of a water supply scheme at village Bajeeda here on Thursday.

The minister said although their predecessors had agreed to increase 25 per cent in the rates of Abiana every year, the MMA government had decided to keep the existing rates unchanged. “When we are unable to slash the existing rates of Abiana, why we should follow others and put more burden on the farmers,” he said and conceded that the existing Abiana rates were high.

About the basic problems of the farming communities, Hafiz Akhtar Ali said stress was being laid on bringing improvement in the canal system for which he said a sum of Rs 35 million had been earmarked for repair and augmentation of irrigation channels and tube wells in different parts of the district.

To a question, he made it clear that the construction of Rojoya and Harno dams in the upstream of river Dor in Abbottabad were subject to the consent and confidence of general public.

“We don’t want to pursue any such plan, which provide benefits to a specific area, while a large population suffers,” he said, announcing that the MMA would not support any such projects.

The minister said in the absence of an effective system, there was a rule of jungle in the country, however, he expressed his government’s resolve for bringing about a system based on equality, justice and Islamic injunctions.

Earlier, irrigation department engineer Mohammad Zaman Khan told the gathering that the provincial government had sanctioned Rs 19.3 million for maintenance of canals at 13 points, Rs 8.3 million for re-boring of tube wells, Rs 8.4 million for 10 new tube wells in the district.