PESHAWAR – The provincial government has planned construction of 23 new big and small water projects costing Rs 6070 million with main focus on building of 100 irrigation tube-wells, a small dam at Kiyala Abbottabad, flood protection and improvement of small ponds works in Khyber Pakthunkhwa to bolster its agriculture, water and energy sectors.
Official sources told APP on Sunday that the Government has included 23 new schemes for uplift of water sector in the current Annual Development Programme (ADP) with a total allocation of Rs.6070 million against which Rs.1097.673 million would be utilized in current fiscal year (CFY).
As many as 100 irrigation tubewells/lift irrigation-small natures schemes would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs.400 million against which Rs.150 million were set aside for CFY, adding focus would be made on establishment of these schemes in those areas where this facility lacked or was not available in the past.
The 2010 floods had badly affected irrigation channels in Khyber  Pakthunkhwa that need quick repair and improvement, he said, adding the government has planned to bring improvement in existing irrigation facilities by providing small ponds/repair canals in KP and construct small irrigation schemes in Hazara division with an estimated cost of
Rs.200 million against which Rs. 100 would be spent on these two schemes in current fiscal year.
To provide quick excess and travelling facilities to farmers and agriculture growers in Khyber Pakthunkhwa, the official said, crossing facilities and small bridges would be constructed on canals with an estimated cost of Rs. 100 million, which would save their time and money at large. He said the floods had badly affected the Budni Nullah Peshawar that needs immediate repair works in order to save lives and properties of people in future. To revamp Budni Nullah, the government will spend
Rs. 400 million on this major project to offset the prominent threats of floods in Peshawar suburban areas, adding Rs. 131. 453 would be spent in current fiscal year.
Similarly, the government would spend Rs. 75 million on restoration of flood protection works from Amandara to Totakan in Mardan district while Rs. 6 million would be spent on construction of flood protection works on Tarako Nullah near Nogram area of Buner district to make these areas safe from floods whereas improvement of Shamozai in
Mardan will cost Rs. 40 million. Referring to the Millennium Development Goals Report 2012, he said 783 million people, or 11 per cent of the global population, remain without access to an improved source of drinking water.  He said the world has met the MDG drinking water target five  years ahead of schedule but work is not yet completely done and we must  not forget that since it is not yet possible to measure water quality globally, dimensions of safety, reliability and sustainability may actually be slowing progress.
To provide clean drinking water facility to people of
Abbottabad, he said, a dam at Kiyala would be constructed with a cost of Rs.940 million in addition to raising Bara dam costing Rs. 2500 million. These projects would soon be tabled before Provincial Development Working Party for approval.
Construction of Escape Channelon 12 Chesma Right Bank Canal  (CRBC) in DI Khan worth Rs. 5million besides rehabilitation of lift irrigation scheme near Gomal, Dera Ismail Khan costing Rs. 20million and improvement of lift irrigaition supplies of Shah Kot are also in pipeline.
Similarly, Rs. 100 million have been earmarked for pre-feasibility study, feasibility study and detail design of small dams in KP (Phase-II) against which Rs. 20 million would be spent in CFY.
The government has planned construction of bridge in Peshawar and Flood Management of Bara River by setting aside Rs. 300 million against which Rs. 40 million would be utilized in CFY.
Floods in Bara River in 2010 had brought havoc toAmankot,
Mohib Banda, Akbarpura, Tarnab, Nasir Kalley, Choki Darab, Nasirpur, Babi Jadeed, Kush Makam and Qadeem villages etc and the government has taken principle decision for its flood management by constructing a bridge onBara river at Tarnab for smooth water flow and ensure smooth traffic flowon GT road as well.
He said the province’s economy is mainly agrarian and it predominantly depends on an effective irrigation system. This year, he said maximum resources have been earmarked for timely completion of on-going projects including Bazai Irrigation scheme in Malakand and
Mardan districts, Khandan Jonali Koch irrigation scheme in Chitral district, Hero Shah minor and remodelling of link channel in upper Swat canal. These projects upon completion will irrigate 26840 acres of land besides an allocation of Rs.2858.289 million for the implementation of
91 schemes, out of which, 68 are ongoing and 23 are new in existing ADP.
He said focus would be made on completion of Bazai, irrigation scheme under which 25000 acres of land will be brought under cultivation while Khandan Jonali Koch irrigation scheme upon completion will irrigate more than 1200 acres of land.Similarly, Hero Shah minor in upper Swaland will be irrigated.
Metalling of Canal Patrol Road along Joe Sheikh Canal Road in
Peshawar will cost Rs.30 million and work on this project would likely to be completed in existing financial year. As many as Rs. 50 million would be spent on re-construction and improvement of Fatehpur Irrigation scheme in Swat while Rs.70 million would be utilized on feasibility study for alternate alignment/proposal for construction of Trichan to Attah Irrigation scheme tehsil Mulkoh in Chitral.
Protection structures at vulnerable locations in KP costing
Rs. 625 million, construction of Ganoorai irrigation channel Dir Upper costing Rs. 65 million and building of flood structures at Khaili Swat river in Charssadda district are also planned.
Rehabilitation of canal patrol road along Jamal Ghari and
Muhammad Khan will be completed at a cost of Rs. 9 million this year  whereas Rs. 105 million are the estimated cost of Rangmala Irrigation
scheme in Malakand Agency.
He said feasibility studies of some of these projects are
completed, few underway and some will begin very soon and would be tabled before competent authorities for approval. These projects upon completion would bring very positive changes in peoples’ life style, he added.