LAHORE, Oct 17: The Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA) has given approval to the proposed amendments to election regulations of farmers’ organisations and Area Water Board rules.

This was decided at a meeting presided over by Punjab Irrigation Minister and PIDA Chairman Malik Ahmed Ali at the Irrigation Department office on Wednesday.

The meeting, while giving an approval to the necessary amendments to the rules and regulations of farmer organisations and the Area Water Boards for improving their performance, agreed that the tenure of these organisations should be kept three years.

It also recommended 33 per cent representation of women in authority members.

The meeting unanimously gave approval to the 15 per cent ad hoc relief allowance to PIDA employees from July 1, 2011, and extended the contracts of consultants and all employees up to December 2012 in the light of PC-I.

It also directed the officers to complete necessary formalities for transferring PIDA staff from project to regular mod so that the programmes of reformation of the irrigation system under PIDA could be made on a coordinated basis.

The meeting also directed the irrigation secretary to constitute an inquiry committee regarding water theft in the Area Water Board of Lower Bari Duab Canal.

The PIDA chairman directed that the monitoring and audit process should be made effective for improving the performance of farmers organisations. He also directed to revisit the existing rules and regulations 2007 regarding PIDA staff.

He also ordered issuance of a notification of election results of chairman and vice chairman of the Area Water Board of Lower Chenab Canal (Sharqi) circle.

The minister said the government was providing maximum incentives to government employees so that their problems could be solved on a priority basis.

He directed the officers to evolve such projects for farmers through which they could be able to get maximum yield by using minimum water.