ISLAMABAD, March 1: The Sindh government has sought from the centre additional Rs11.6 billion urgent funding for the rehabilitation of its ageing irrigation system.
Officials told Dawn on Thursday that the provincial government was ready to provide Rs1.5 billion from its own resources for improving the irrigation infrastructure, including main and branch canals, distributaries and minors.
The Sindh government maintained that it needed the additional amount to enhance long-term sustainability of developing institutions by improving operation and maintenance of the irrigation system and cost recovery.
The immediate objective is to improve efficiency and effectiveness of irrigation water distribution in three Area Water Boards (AWBs) of Ghotiki, Nara and Left Bank. It also covers areas for improvement under the jurisdiction of the Sindh Irrigation and Development Authority (Sida), AWBs of Ghotki feeder, Nara canals in Khairpur, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot and Left Bank (canals) in Tando Mohammad Khan, Hyderabad and Badin and areas where barrages are located i.e. Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri.
The improved water management, Sindh believed, would lead to increased agricultural production, employment and income over an area of about 1.837 million hectares or more than 30 per cent of the irrigated areas.
The project would supplement efforts which are presently underway, including the World Bank-assisted Sindh On-Farm Water Management project, Revamping/Rehabilitation of Irrigation and Drainage System project, National Drainage Programme (Reprogramming) and Lining of Distributaries and Minors project in the province.
Benefits include annual incremental agriculture production with an estimated value of Rs3.4 billion (June 2006 prices) and creation of 4.39 million workdays per year of farm labour at full development due to increased cropping intensity and yields.
It will also help achieve self-reliance in agricultural commodities, ensure food security and improve productivity of crops.
The Centre was informed that Sindh had evolved an interim strategy that would yield quick dividends while building the foundation for the longer term strategy.
The interim strategy has three inter-related elements -- fostering an institutional, policy and operational framework conducive to efficient and self-sustaining operation and management of the irrigation system, supporting farmers’ organisations in implementing high payoff infrastructure improvements needed for improved water management, and enhancing agricultural productivity and incomes by introducing improved technology, 'agronomic' practices and information/knowledge system.
To ensure the quality of civil work construction, the federal government was informed that works would be packaged for bidding purposes to attract qualified contractors, while contract management and construction supervision would be carried out with the assistance of qualified engineering firms.