November 10, 2003	Monday	Ramazan 14, 1424

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QUETTA, Nov 9: Federal Minister for Agriculture, Food and Livestock, Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind, has said the federal government would line the 30-mile long Pat Feeder passing through the desert area of Sindh and Balochistan to plug the massive seepage of water downstream.

Speaking at a press conference at his residence here on Saturday, he said the government would plug the massive seepage of canal water, to save some 200,000 acres of land in eastern Naseerabad from waterlogging.

The minister referred to the prime minister’s programme to line more than 10,000 watercourses throughout Pakistan for conserving water and improving the irrigation system.

Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind spoke at length about the plans for agricultural development of Balochistan, saying three districts — Bolan, Jhal Magsi and Sibi — had been selected where the federal government would develop date and citrus fruit orchards and farms.

The orchards would be developed in the surroundings of major townships, improving thereby the rural economy of Balochistan.

He said the federal government had selected 1,810 acres of land in which 44 ponds and lined water channels would be constructed free of cost. Growers having land would be provided with electricity and other facilities to promote farming.

Replying to a question, he said the PARC would undertake this project, establishing farms on the edge of major human settlements of the three districts.

The entire cost would be borne by the government under the scheme and extension services would be provided to growers having little or no resources of their own for developing orchards, the minister said.

About the Chagai development project, which is to cost Rs540 million, the minister said it was designed to develop the rural economy of Balochistan and provide job opportunities to the locals.

He did not agree with a reporter’s suggestion that the project was meant to compensate the local people following nuclear explosions there.

He said the project will be inaugurated anytime soon, probably by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

Yet another major project is the Agri Business Project meant to diversify the extension services in Balochistan and other provinces. It would cost Rs300 million during the current fiscal year, Sardar Yar Mohammad said.

He disclosed that the federal government would launch a Rs1.7bn livestock development project in collaboration with the European Union.

Under this project, foot-and-mouth and the mad cow diseases are to be fought.

The federal government would also launch a mega project to improve the extension services in the whole of Balochistan. Under this project, the Arid Area Development in Kharan, Wildlife, Range Management, Sheep Farms, Range Development, Sibi Beef Research Centre and scores of other projects would be expanded and strengthened. This Balochistan-specific project would cost Rs1.3 billion.

He declared that no bureaucrat would head any project in the future. Only farm scientists and technocrats would be appointed as project directors in all the agricultural projects all over Pakistan.

When asked about the plan to establish an agriculture university in Balochistan, he said the issue was being referred to the Higher Education Commission for formal approval and the prime minister would take a decision sometime next year about it.

Referring to the Kachhi Canal project, he said the ECNEC had approved the scheme and there would be no shortage of funds for the canal.

He said there was no shortage of wheat in Pakistan and the government had enough stocks. However, as a precautionary step, the government would import half-a-million ton of the commodity for storage purposes.

He said his ministry had released 30,000 tons of wheat to Sindh and 50,000 tons to the NWFP after a decision at the Wheat Disposal Committee meeting as Sindh was facing a shortage of the commodity.

Replying to a question, he said the private sector had purchased enough wheat during the current season and was holding back the stock for profiteering.

He said the State Bank had advanced soft loans to traders for purchase of wheat to the tune of Rs6 billion. They purchased the commodity and then dumped it in godowns. They were waiting for a price rise before they brought it to the market, Mr Rind said.

The minister, who belongs to Balochistan, castigated the role of a senior bureaucrat of the province and alleged that he was creating hurdles in the development of agricultural sector in the province.