Home »Agriculture and Allied » Pakistan » KP develops agriculture sector uplift plan worth Rs 85 billion: minister
KP Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives, Mohibullah Khan has said that an 'Integrated Agriculture Development and Improvement Programme' worth Rs85 billion has been developed for the period of next four years to enhance the production of major crops included wheat, rice, sugarcane and maize, besides arresting problems like malnutrition, desertification, land degradation, drought and climate change related issues.

Talking to media, the provincial minister said that work on this landmark programme has been initiated in 11 agriculture related sectors under which focus are being made on construction of watercourses, stopping of water wastage, prevention of soil erosion, strengthening of poultry farming, solarization of tube wells and construction of small dams for conservation of water resources in the province.

The projects are included with the increase in production of wheat, rice and sugarcane production, construction of watercourses, water and soil conservation, solorization of tube-wells, strengthening of poultry farming, livestock, fattening of calves, construction of small and mini check dams in the province.

Mohibullah Khan said total 75,000 irrigation watercourses are existed in KP, out of which only 25,000 were constructed during last 73 years, saying the PTI Government would construct 32,000 watercourses during next four years.

He said Rs50 billion would be spent on construction of these watercourses and Rs 13 billion on water conservation programmes during next four years.

The minister said about Rs47 billion were spent by 11 Directorate Generals Offices on the Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Department during last 70 years while PTI Government would spend Rs85 billion during next four years on development of agriculture, livestock and other related line departments, which speaks our strong commitment towards promotion of agriculture, livestock and cooperative sectors for benefits of masses.

Mohib Ullah said Government has started work on mega programme to utilize the water of Gomal Zam dam South Waziristan for irrigation of barren lands in southern districts including Tank, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat and erstwhile Fata.

"The main canal of Gomal Zam dam were made operational in which irrigation water has been released with capacity to irrigate one lakh acres land in these areas" the Minister said, adding work on the dam's second canal has been accelerated and after completion would irrigate another one lakh acres land in South Waziristan and southern districts of KP.

To prevent wastage of water and soil erosion in rainy areas of KP, the Minister said small dams would be constructed in potential areas for an effective conservation of soil and water resources in the province.

He said conservation of Azakheli buffalo has been started in Malakand division and their population was increased due to effective conservation and breeding programmes in the province. It pertinent to mention here that population of Azakheli buffalos were significantly decreased in Malakand division due to 2010 devastated floods and 2009 unrest in Swat district.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019


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