Rs66bn plan launched to improve 86,000 watercourses
By Mohammad Ilyas
ISLAMABAD, July 8: The federal government has launched an ambitious plan to improve over 86,000 watercourses throughout Pakistan over a four-year period which is estimated to cost more than Rs66 billion.
Projected to result in saving of eight million acre feet of water, implementation of schemes under the plan will be the responsibility of provincial departments of Agriculture/Provincial Directors of On Farm Water Management (OFWM), FATA, FANA, AJK and ICT and Farmers' Organizations/Water Users Associations (WUAs).
The Federal Water Management Cell of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) will supervise the implementation, while conducting coordination between the executing agencies.
As regards the operation and maintenance of the watercourses and related infrastructure now performed by the provincial irrigation departments, these will henceforth be the responsibility of the district governments, WUAs/beneficiaries.
Bulk of the funds, that is, Rs50,655.02 million will be provided by the Pakistani government. The share of cost apportioned to provincial government comes to Rs1,071.63 million.
There will also be the farmers' contribution in the form of labour cost, which has been pegged, in monetary terms, at Rs14,646.82 million. The project has been devised, keeping in view the serious flaws in the management system now pivoted on the government bureaucracy, which has brought the world's largest contiguous canal system practically to the brink of collapse.
A possible solution to this problem lies in the active association of water users in the management and maintenance of watercourses. How far this is feasible in a system dominated by the big landlords with a tight grip on political power is a question that can be answered only by the government at policy level while implementing the project.
Together with seepage from canals, misuse of water by these individuals is at the roots of the problems of water logging and salinity, according to experts. Unless, the elimination of such mal practices is made a part of the objectives of the project, increase in agricultural production to the optimal level will remain an unrealized dream, the experts caution.
Indeed, the PC-1 of the project included among its activities "social mobilization through capacity-building of water users/farmers and members of WUAs in improved water management techniques, participatory irrigation management, resource management etc.
It also envisages ensuring equitable distribution of irrigation water. The basic activity under the project will be the remodelling and/or improvement of water courts involving complete earthen renovation, partial lining of critical reaches and installation of water control structures.
In cases where the water is found to be saltish, 30 per cent of the length of the relevant watercourse would be brick-lined. In place of the present kacha 'nakkas', it is envisaged to install pre-cast water control structures throughout the systems. This part of the project alone would cost Rs6 billion, it is estimated.
Through the project, it may also be possible to substantially reduce water disputes that constitute a major cause of violent crimes in irrigated districts. It is also envisaged under the project to provide technical material to farmers for optimal utilization of watercourses in the shape of technical, manual and operational guidelines.
Operations carried out on such a vast scale would, of course, not fail to benefit other industries such as cement and brick making as well as the investors in pre-cast fabricated material, while creating employment.
Another significant aspect of the project is that the farmers will themselves procure construction material and over- see its utilization. Work on the project commenced officially in April 2004 for which an amount of Rs950.865 million has already been provided to the provincial authorities for the improvements in 1,414 water sources as against the demand for Rs1758.74 million. Thus the duration of the project is slated as 50 months.
During 2004-05, it is stipulated, the number of watercourses to be treated under the project will be 14,329 at the estimated cost of Rs10,998.73 million. This includes Rs8,446.23 million to be provided by the Pakistani government, Rs175.34 million by provincial/executing agencies and Rs2,377.16 million by farmers in the form of labour.
According to the details of expenditure to be incurred in 2004-05, the purchases will include 1,015 survey instruments, 2,710 motorcycles and 50 motor vehicles.
