PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said that construction work on Chashma lift canal project will be started in the next financial year at a cost of Rs121 billion, which will irrigate 246,140 acres of land and benefit 250,000 people of the area.

He was talking to the elected representatives from southern districts of the province at the CM House here on Thursday. Those present on the occasion included senior minister for irrigation Sikandar Sherpao, revenue minister Ali Amin Gandapur, MPA Ihtesham, secretary irrigation Akhter Rasheed and focal person Chashma lift canal Mohammad Iqbal.

About the Chashma lift canal, the chief minister said that the project was made possible due to the unified struggle of the parliamentary leaders of various parties of the province. “It was the collective struggle of the provincial political leadership of the province which compelled the Council of Common Interests to approve the longstanding project,” he remarked.

Mr Khattak said that after completion of the project the province would be in a position to utilise its due share of water. He said that two years long and consistent struggle of the provincial government had made approval of the project possible. He clarified that according to the agreement the provincial government would provide 35 per cent resources for the project and the federal government rest of 65 per cent. He said that the provincial irrigation department would execute and monitor the project.

The chief minister said that the project would provide employment opportunities to the people of the area. The provincial irrigation secretary said that the project would benefit 19 villages.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016