THE multi-billion-rupee ‘revamping/rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage systems’ project is nearing completion in Sindh after 11 years.

But the provincial irrigation development officers fear the federally funded project would not get enough money anymore in the backdrop of the 18th constitutional amendment. And this is evident from the 2015-16 budgetary allocation of a mere Rs200m for it.

The irrigation and drainage infrastructure in the province has deteriorated mainly due to inadequate maintenance and partly due to the higher-than-designed withdrawal of water at the beginning of the kharif season.

The project was designed in early 2000 at an estimated cost of Rs12bn and was to be completed by 2008. The Sindh irrigation department continued to get funds during the Musharraf regime. The PPP government then released Rs1bn. However, since the May 2013 elections, financial releases have remained substantially inadequate.

The project received Rs500m in FY2014-15 and would get only Rs200m in FY2015-16, which would be just sufficient for salaries and administrative expenditures.

“The work can only be completed and we can provide consultancy services if the funds are released as required,” said Idris Rajput, a former irrigation secretary and a consultant for the project. He stated that 15pc of the work on the project is yet to be completed, and it is directly linked with the availability of funds. So far, 400 of the 700 big or small project components have been completed. The project’s main objective is to assure water supply to agricultural land, especially at the tail-end areas of the canal systems, which requires the strengthening of canal banks, silt clearance of all branches, distributaries and minors, and the repairing and remodelling of the regulators.

“Through this revamping project, agricultural lands in areas like Sujawal and Jati have been brought under cultivation. And the water supply in canals, distributaries and minors has improved as a result of this rehabilitation,” said the project’s director, Mohammad Khan Nizamani. He believed that such projects are necessary for the existing system’s upkeep.

The Sukkur Barrage’s Rohri Canal (built in 1932) has been facing different bottlenecks in water flows. But it has greatly benefited from the earthwork, stone pitching and the construction of regulators and some bridges.

The canal, which emanates from the left bank of the Indus, irrigates an area of 2.6m acres. According to Idris Rajput, it could draw a maximum discharge of 16,000 cusecs whenever needed to provide water to the tail-end reaches. The canal’s designed discharge is 11,000 cusecs.

Both, irrigation and drainage were included in the project. Project officers note that major works have been commissioned, but those that are not interlinked are pending execution due to limited financing.

The cost of the project is likely to be revised once again due to escalation. So far, Rs12bn have been released out of the estimated cost of Rs16.79bn.

• Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, June 22nd, 2015*

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