LAHORE, Sept 25: The Federal government has released Rs360 million for the under-construction Darawat Dam Project, located in Thatta and Jamshoro districts.

Following the release of funds, the construction work at the site will gain a new momentum leading towards timely completion of the project.

The funds have been released on the instructions of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, and because of the efforts made by Federal Water and Power Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar.

Project’s main dam is likely to be completed by December this year, while the irrigation system is scheduled to be completed in June 2013.

The Darawat Dam, being constructed across the Nai Baran River some 70 kilometres west of Hyderabad, is a component of Wapda’s plan to construct small and medium-sized dams in addition to its mega projects in water and hydropower sectors.

The president had directed Wapda to construct a number of small and medium-sized dams in four provinces and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas for socio-economic development of the people residing in remote areas.

These projects are being taken up in the areas which cannot be irrigated through the Indus Basin Irrigation System with a view to optimal utilisation of water and land resources available in the country.

The Darawat Dam Project will help store water for irrigation, mitigate floods and provide employment opportunities.

The concrete-faced rock-filled dam is 820-foot long and 141-foot high, which will store about 120,000 acre feet of water to help irrigate 25,000 acres of land, besides creating 4,500 employment opportunities during the construction, operation and its maintenance. Annual benefits of the project have been estimated more than Rs1 billion. Life of the project’s water reservoir will be more than 100 years.

It is pertinent to mention that the federal government has announced that it will provide up to 25 acres of land per person to the poor women belonging to the project area.