0
LAHORE, Feb 7: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday released first tranche of $20 million to the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for the Gomal Zam Dam Project.
The USAID had signed an agreement with Wapda last month for providing $40 million to help complete the under-construction dam. Had this financial assistance not been provided, construction work on the project would have virtually come to a halt due to paucity of funds through Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).In a press release, Wapda termed the release of $20 million a “very vital development” towards completion of the Gomal Zam Dam Project. The project is at advance stage of completion and is expected to be completed during the current year.
The dam is a multi-purpose project being constructed in South Waziristan Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). The project aims at ensuring availability of irrigation water for agriculture, controlling floods and providing low-cost hydel electricity. On its completion, the dam will store 1.14 million acre feet of water to irrigate 163,000 acres of land. The project will provide 17.4 megawatts of electricity to power 25,000 households. The dam will also help mitigate an estimated $2.6 million of potential flood damage annually.
