THATTA, Aug 21: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that without streamlining the agricultural sector and boosting its output, eradication of poverty is next to impossible.

"This is because 70 per cent population of the country, which lives in rural areas, is solely dependent on agriculture," he added.

He was addressing a gathering to mark the inauguration of a national programme of concrete lining of 29,000 kutcha watercourses in Sindh, near Gujjo town on National Highway, here on Saturday.

He said that being located at the tail-end of the country, people of Thatta and Badin were acutely aware of the importance of sweet water. That was why, he said, he preferred to open the programme from Thatta.

After execution of the Rs66 billion project, 29,000 kutcha watercourses would be lined in Sindh and this would create employment opportunities for the province's 150,000 people, the president said.

He said it had become vital to save and properly consume every drop of available water.

"We would have to plan for the betterment of our future generation 50 years in advance," he said.

The president said that by the year 2010, the Mangla Dam's reservoir would shrink to 50 per cent of its current capacity, making construction of new dams all the more necessary.

He said that feasibility studies of the proposed Kalabagh and Bhasha dams had already been prepared and execution of either of these projects needed to be started without delay.

He said that studies on the proposed Akhori and Skardu dams were also being conducted.

The president pointed out that construction of Bhasha dam required widening the Shahra-i-Karakoram by 250 kilometres and extending it by a further 150 kilometres. This process would take at least three years, but considering the gravity of water issue, it was better to start a project which consumer lesser time.

The president said that the people of Sindh should not pay heed to the propaganda of 'exploiters' and feel confident that nobody would usurp a single drop of water and the province would continue to receive its legitimate share.

Referring to his recently announced Rs22 billion 'Kissan Package', the president said that to-date the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) had advanced loans of Rs30 billion, but this ceiling would be raised to Rs100 billion in the future.

He said that in addition to the ZTBL, commercial banks "have also started providing loans to farmers."

From now on, no peasant would be handcuffed by police on account of non-payment of loan, the president declared.

About lining of watercourse, he said that Sindh chief minister would coordinate the project, Jahangir Tareen would work as president's representative in its execution, while district nazims would monitor the scheme.

He said the districts which secured first, second and third position in getting executed the lining project would be given cash awards of Rs2.5 million to Rs10 million.

These watercourses were required to be completed within four years to help save wastage of irrigation water.

President Musharraf said that since he belonged to Sindh and considered himself a Sindhi, he was in a better position to protect the rights of Sindh.

The event was attended by Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Raheem, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad, provincial forest adviser Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi, Minister for State and chairman National Commission for Human Development, Dr Naseem Ashraf, MNA Ayaz Shah Shirazi, Thatta district nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi and others.