QUETTA, May 31: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday stressed the need for fair allocation of resources and better planning to boost the country’s agricultural production.

The Prime Minister was speaking to officials of the provincial irrigation, communication and works departments in Rojhan Jamali.

The government, he said, was focussing on projects, which would ensure optimal use of available irrigation resources through conservation and efficient distribution.

Prime Minister Jamali termed Balochistan the future of Pakistan, saying that the province, with a vast potentially arable area, would play a vital role in strengthening the country economically.

The government, he said, was making efforts to make optimal use of the available water resources as it was one of the most vital component of the country’s agriculture-based economy.

Referring to the Kachhi canal project, Mr Jamali said that after its completion, the canal would irrigate 71,300 acres of barren land besides benefiting about a million people in Balochistan.

The Prime Minister was briefed on various projects.

Officials said that the provincial government was trying to reduce water wastage and utilize the uncultured water.

The prime minister was informed that against an allocation of 3.87 million acre-foot (MAF), Balochistan was using only 2.319 MAF and the rest of its water share remained unutilized.

Balochistan, officials told prime minister, was planning to use its untilized water share.

They said that the Balochistan government intended to construct 43 minor canals in the Pat Feeder Canal command area at a cost of Rs700 million in three phases.

The plans, they said, included re-modelling of 49 minor canals casting Rs123 million, reconditioning of embankments of 10 distributaries of the Pat Feeder Canal, rehabilitation of Hairdin Carrier Drain in the Jafferabad district and reconditioning of Kirthar Canal system.

The prime minister was also briefed about the upgradation of the Dera Allahyar-Nuttal road.

Officials informed the prime minister that the N-65 road was one of the most vital roads of eastern Balochistan as it connected N-5, N-55 and N-25.