ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: The multi-billion-rupee project envisaging construction of the proposed Kachhi Canal, launched by former president Gen Pervez Musharraf in Oct 2002 and initially scheduled to be completed by end of 2008, has been delayed further.

Because of lack of funding the government has now extended the deadline for the completion of the project to 2015. The cost of the project, which was envisaged to bring about a 'green revolution' in the under-cultivated province of Balochistan, has also been increased from Rs28 billion to Rs31.2 billion.

According to the information presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday, so far the government has spent well over Rs14 billion on the mega-project, conceived under the-then government's Water Vision 2025.

In response to a question put by Lt-Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch of the PML-N, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf informed the house that since 2007-08 the government had failed to release required amount of funds for the project.

In 2007-08, the government released Rs7.598 billion, followed by Rs3.45 billion in 2008-09, Rs2.17 billion in 2009-10 and only Rs790 million till Nov this year.

The minister accepted the fact that even phase-I of the canal was yet to be completed, let alone the entire project.

“Because of inadequate release of funds from 2008-09, coupled with serious security problems in and around Dera Bugti district have caused impediment to the construction delays,” the minister said in his written reply.

Contract for construction of Phase-I of the canal was sub-divided into nine different contracts, of which, so far only three had been completed.

Out of security concerns and financial constraints, a contract with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has also been cancelled, the minister said.

The 500-kilometre-long canal, taking off from the Taunsa Barrage has the capacity of 6,000 cusecs.

After the Mirani dam, it is the second in a series of projects being constructed in the province to develop irrigation and drinking water facilities for arid and water-starved regions in Dera Bugti, Nasirabad and Kachhi districts.

The project aimed at to provide irrigation to 713,000 acres of land and expected to enhance cropping intensity in the area from the present two per cent to 46 per cent.The canal will bring under irrigation, an area that is considered as the world's warmest place on the planet. During the summer season temperature soars to average 50 centigrade in the area.

The canal will irrigate more than 115,000 acres in Dera Bugti, 375,000 acres in Nasirabad and Bolan and 315,000 acres in Jhal Magsi.

A total of 2,000-km-long watercourses will be taken out of the canal for irrigation of the land and 3,000-kms of channels will also be constructed for flood protection and floodwater storage.

About 68 per cent population of the province is directly or indirectly associated with agriculture.

However, most of farmers and orchard owners depend on rain for their produce.

Only a small portion of the province can be brought under cultivation because of shortage of water. Agriculture has 50 per cent share in the province's economy.

Most of the fruit being produced in the country comes from Balochistan.

The province is famous for its dates, apple, apricot, almond and pomegranate. Therefore, timely completion of the canal could bring a real turnaround in the province.