LAHORE, June 17: A sum of Rs9.08 billion has been allocated for irrigation, agriculture and livestock sectors in the Punjab budget 2004-05.

In his budget speech, Finance Minister Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dareshak said the water and power sector was getting a bulk of provincial and federal resources.

The Punjab government had allocated Rs5.3 billion for the sector which was 41 per cent higher than the current year, he said. According to him, Rs88 million would go to investigation and research and surveys, Rs1.33 billion to irrigation schemes, Rs75.63 billion to drainage and reclamation schemes, Rs27.66 million to flood works, Rs923.205 million to small dams, Rs2.7 billion to foreign-aided projects, Rs61 million to buildings, Rs100 million to power projects. A sum of Rs17.4 million has been placed under miscellaneous head.

The major projects proposed included rehabilitation of Thal canal, lining of irrigation channels in non-perennial areas of the province, extension of Dajal Branch, provision of irrigation facility to barren areas of both sides of the Upper Jhelum Canal, construction of Paikhel and Mohar lift canals, water storage ponds in Cholistan and Bahawalnagar, small dams in Potohar and small hydel power stations, he said.

He announced Rs737 million for agriculture which was in addition to Rs2.5 billion provided by the federal government under the National Programme for Improvement of Water Courses and Agriculture Sector loan.

According to the sub-sector allocation, Rs416 million would go to water management, Rs42.336 million to extension services, Rs194.6 million to research, Rs46.1 million to mechanisation, Rs26 million to floriculture and Rs11.9 million to crop reporting services.

Major initiative planned for 2004-05 include strengthening of laser land levelling services at a cost of Rs250 million. A sum of Rs2 billion would be spent under federal public sector development programme for improving 28,000 water courses in the province. In addition to Rs2 billion from federal grant, Rs65 million would be provided by the provincial government, he added.

Mr Dareshak said the Punjab government also planned to improve agronomical practices for water use efficiency and increase in agriculture production. Research would mainly focus on Cotton Leaf Curl Virus and its newly emerging strains.

New initiatives have also been planned for well drilling capability of field wing and underground water assessment. Production of hybrid seed of vegetables and cotton and certified fruit plants would also be bettered, he added.

The minister said a special allocation of Rs100 million has also been made in the budget for establishment of the Punjab Agriculture Marketing Company.