PESHAWAR, Dec 21: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani on Saturday announced that the government would launch within a week irrigation and drinking water projects in 16 districts at a cost of Rs1.5 billion under the Drought Emergency Relief Assistance (Dera) programme.

The announcement was made during a presentation at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, according to a handout.

The programme, aims at alleviating the impact of drought, is being financed by the Asian Development Bank. The ADB will contribute Rs1,063 million, the federal government Rs95 million and World Bank Rs342 million.

Stressing that water conservation be given priority, the chief minister said that allocation would be made for construction of small dams, check dams, delay action dams and lining of watercourses.

The chief minister said that the projects, to be executed by the irrigation department, would be launched in consultation with all concerned.

He said that delay in the completion of these projects would reduce their impact.

The chief minister ordered the constitution of a committee to review, evaluate and look into the legal aspects of these projects.

In all, 16 districts were selected under Dera programme and the share of Bannu, Haripur, Buner and Chitral is Rs51 million each; and that of Dera Ismail Khan, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Karak, Kohistan and Kohat is Rs75 million, Rs200 million, Rs60 million, Rs340 million, 22.5 million and Rs167 million, respectively.

The share of Lakki, Tank, Hangu, Abbottabad, Nowshera and Swat is Rs54 million, Rs75 million, Rs150 million, Rs45 million, Rs4 million and Rs7.5 million, respectively.

In all 157 projects will be launched under the Dera programme.

Senior minister Sirajul Haq, secretaries of works and services and irrigation departments attended the briefing.