PTI govt stopped funds to 53 irrigation schemes in Sindh: Irrigation Minister

KARACHI, Dec 15,2021- Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro has said that PTI government stopped funds to 53 irrigation schemes in Sindh, while the biggest problem of Sindh province is severe water crisis.

Dadu Canal is facing severe water shortage while 22 to 32 lakh acres of agricultural land in Sindh province has become barren due to non-discharge of water in the sea. He said that LBOD and RBO due to wrong planning of D, Sindh province is suffering a lot.

He said this while briefing the media regarding the functioning of irrigation department of Sindh and ongoing development projects. Saeed Ghani was also with him.

Jam Khan Shoro said that the LBOD was constructed during the tenure of General Zia, due to which heavy damage is caused during rains in Badin, Tharparkar and Mirpurkhas districts and old waterways are also being cut. The Sindh irrigation department has formulated a strategy for lining of canals. In this regard, Sindh province has completed the project of water lining of various canals about 3200 km from 2008 till now. The work is underway on 16 projects in the current financial year, out of which 15 annual development projects will be completed this year.  

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The work of lining of various new canals on 509 km is also underway.

138 schemes in water and drainage sector

Minister for Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro told media that there are 138 schemes in the water and drainage sector of irrigation department this financial year out of which 84 are new water and drainage. He said that the Sindh government has started Thar Coal project to alleviate power shortage in the country in which Rs 546 billion has been earmarked for 4 development projects.

Work is underway on these projects which will be completed soon in the current financial year.

A new scheme PSDP was started by former President Asif Ali Zardari who had constructed 109 water channels to alleviate water shortage out of which 56 water channels were planned. The embankments have been completed while there are development schemes for 32 water channels on which the present PTI government has stopped work due to non-availability of funds while the plans for 21 water channels which are not completed. But the federal government does not want to work.

44 development schemes of small dams

Jam Khan Shoro further said that 44 development schemes of small dams have been completed in Tharparkar, Kachho and other barren areas while development projects of 16 small dams have been completed. Work is underway on the projects which will be completed by the end of this year.

Three projects with the assistance of World Bank

He said that Sindh Irrigation Department is working on three development projects with the assistance of World Bank. These include Barrage Improvements Project, Sindh Resilience and SWAT projects under which rehabilitation of Guddu and Sukkur Barrage will be carried out and under Sindh Resilience Project 9 embankment of Indus River have been closed. Rehabilitation and strengthening plans have been completed

 While construction work of 14 small dams is also underway.