Rawalpindi-The Agency for Barani Areas Development (ABAD) Punjab has offered a financial assistance program to the farmers particularly of Barani area and October 15 will be last date to submit application to avail the opportunity. According to Director General, ABAD, Rawalpindi, Dr Ethasham Anwar, the financial assistance up to Rs1.5 million will be provided to the association of the farmers for the construction of mini dam, Rs 500,000 for the construction of water ponds, water storage tanks, roof top harvesting and lift irrigation scheme.

Similarly, Rs 300,000 will be given for construction of dug well and shallow tube well. The financial assistance is being offered here to the farmers of Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal and Rawalpindi in Rawalpindi division.

The program has been offered to the associations at village level. Old associations formed under National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) are eligible for the program while new associations can also be made in this connection. The application forms can be received from the offices of NRSP. For further information, ABAD helpline 1095 can be contacted with its website www.abad.punjab.gov.pk.

An ABAD spokesman informed that the agency has completed 40 public funded projects including agriculture sector, institution development, multi sectoral project, afforestation, range management, agriculture mechanism, livestock development, soil and water conservation and water resource development by investing eight billion rupees for the uplift of marginalized population of Punjab Barani Tract and working on six projects costing Rs 845 million. ABAD has also completed five donor funded projects including sustainable livelihood in Barani areas project, second barani areas development project, barani village development project, small dams umbrella project and first Barani area development project for the uplift of the farmers of Punjab Barani Tract.

He said, the department is working to transform socio-economic landscape of Barani region by creating enormous avenues of livelihood and implementing the development programs for the Barani areas of the Punjab province through coordinating, monitoring and evaluating the activities of the departments responsible for the execution of the development schemes in these areas.

ABAD is striving to increase the agricultural productivity of Barani areas, reduce the soil losses, promote efficient use of ground water, improve management of forestry, fisheries and livestock resources and promote employment and commercial opportunities for rural communities, he added.