ISLAMABAD - The Punjab government has so far constructed 49 small dams and aims to build 8 more in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock and Chakwal that would help in developing agriculture sector in these regions, said Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh on Wednesday Addressing a Press conference here, the minister said that through these (49) dams 85356 acres of land is being irrigated now. The government will take three years for the construction of these 8 dams while feasibility study is being done on 11 more dams. Some of them will be built in 2011-12 while others in 2012-13, the minister said. These dams will not only help in irrigating the baron lands but also would provide clean drinking water to masses. He said that provincial government has allocated Rs1 billion for Punjab Agriculture Research Board and also has doubled the budget for the improvement of research infrastructure. Due to shortage of gas, province is facing urea shortage at the moment and federal government has been requested to make sure availability of natural gas to urea manufacturers so that the fertilizer could be provided to farmers conveniently. On the issue of black marketing of fertilizer, he said that Punjab government has issued orders to Divisional Commissioners to take action against hoarders and make sure the availability of fertilizer to growers on justified price.