THATTA, Jan 9: State Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Mohammad Ali Malkani has said that after achieving a target of 29,000 lined watercourses at a cost of Rs22 billion, 30 per cent irrigation water will be saved in Sindh.

He was speaking at a meeting of the National Programme for Improvement of Watercourses at the circuit house on Monday.

Sindh agriculture secretary Nazar Mohammad Mahar, NPIW project director Younus Dagha, DCOs of Thatta and Badin districts and other officials attended the meeting.

The minister said that after completion of schemes, farmers at tail-end areas would be able to get bumper crops.

Mr Malkani was told that much against the target of 5,000 lined watercourses to be completed this year in Sindh, the department received 14,437 applications, of which 5,615 had been registered.

He said an approval for materialization of 3,150 watercourses had been accorded after technical formalities.

Earth work of 2,012 watercourses has been carried out and 5,000 lined watercourses would be completed this year.

The minister called for fulfilment of proper formalities including obtaining village form-VII prior to execution of watercourses to beneficiaries.