RAWALPINDI: Under the Punjab government’s Rs7 billion agriculture reform project, the construction of 400 mini-dams is underway in the Potohar region.

This was stated by Secretary Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahoo during a visit to Rawalpindi. He chaired a review meeting on the Potohar Agriculture Transformation Plan, which is being implemented at a cost of Rs7 billion.

The meeting was attended by the chief of Barani Area Development Agency Mohammad Arif Khan Niazi, Additional Director General Soil Conservation Rawalpindi Dr Pervaiz Sikandar, Director Agriculture (Extension) Rawalpindi Division Syed Shahid Iftakhar Bukhari, Chief Scientist/Director Barani Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Chakwal, Dr Nadeem Ahmad and senior scientist Centre of Excellence for Olive Research and Training Chakwal, Inamul Haq.

Speaking on the occasion, the secretary agriculture said the Potohar Agriculture Transformation Plan will prove a milestone for agricultural development in the region. He stated that construction of 400 mini-dams was underway under the plan with a subsidy of Rs1.75 million per unit.

He directed the concerned officials to further expedite the installation of lift irrigation systems being provided with a 70 per cent subsidy under the transformation plan.

He also instructed that the target of land improvement on 4,500 acres through bulldozers should be achieved within the stipulated timeframe.

The secretary added that for the first time ginger cultivation was being introduced in the Potohar region with a subsidy of Rs3.29 million per acre.

He directed that targets for the distribution of blackberry, fig and grape plants, as well as olive cultivation under the mega initiative should be completed on time.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2026