ISLAMABAD, April 27: The provinces have sought an additional federal assistance of Rs8.3 billion for fiscal 2004-05 to harness flood water run-off schemes, senator Nisar Memon, the chairman of parliamentary committee on water resources, said on Monday.

Balochistan has asked for Rs3.6 billion, the NWFP Rs1.8 billion, Punjab Rs1.4 billion and Sindh Rs1 billion in the next budget, he said while launching a website (www.pakwaters.gov. pk) containing information on Pakistan's water resources.

The website, developed by the IT department of Wapda, carries information about the country's water strategies, general facts, schematic flow of water, canals and lining, water sources and usages, water storages, water schemes, environment, public-sector development programme, treaties and accords.

Mr Memon said the website was for the general public from whom suggestions and comments had been sought, but the portal was not immediately accessible since it required a password to enter. "I cannot help you on this because no relevant person is available now," Mr Memon said. But he said the portal would be available for use by Tuesday.

Mr Memon, flanked by Senate chairman Mohammedmian Soomro and National Assembly deputy speaker Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob, said the committee would submit its interim report to the government by the end of June.

The visitors browsing the website have been asked to send their suggestions or comments by May 15 after which the portal would be validated. "I hope this would be considered as an official website for all kinds of information on water," Mr Memon said.

He said Balochistan had mentioned nine projects for federal aid, out of a total of 32, that will cost Rs56 billion and utilize a total of 1.67 million acre feet (MAF) of the run-off water. The NWFP, he said, had earmarked 12 projects to utilize 4.3 MAF with a total cost of Rs112 billion but had asked for only Rs1.8 billion for the next fiscal.

He said Punjab had cited five projects to build small dams for which a total of Rs36 billion was required but a sum of Rs1.4 billion had been sought for the next financial year. Sindh has proposed five projects involving a total cost of Rs1.8 billion but has sought Rs1 billion, while the total water utilization would be 0.86 MAF.

Mr Memon said the parliamentary committee would also visit different proposed dam sites starting with a two-day visit to the NWFP from May 9, to be followed by visits to Punjab from May 12 to 13, to Sindh from May 17 to 18 and to Balochistan from May 19 to 20.

During the visits, the committee will also meet different stake-holders and opposition members from the four provincial assemblies and political parties not represented in the assemblies, he said.