Water charges: field staff directed to ensure 80 percent collection

General Manager (Operations) of Punjab Irrigation & Drainage Authority (Pida) Chaudhry Karamat Ali has directed the field staff to ensure 80 percent collection of water charges (Abiana) from the water users in their respective areas maximum by May 31, 2011.
This instruction was issued by him, while visiting the area Water Boards of Lower Chenab Canal System on Sunday. Concerned Pida staff, farmer organisation members, Chief Executives of Area Water Boards besides local farmer community was also present on the occasion. Karamat Ali asked the FOs to expedite the collection campaign of water charges from water users adding that their overall performance will be evaluated on the basis of Abiana collection.
Maintaining that consummate training plays a vital role in the improvement of performance, the Karamat said that Pida has launched a comprehensive training programme for the FO members, so that they could be trained about financial & technical affairs as well as office and canal management. Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) has extended financial as well as technical assistance to Pida in this training programme, he said. Pida is working on the concept of public private partnership in the irrigation sector so that our farming community could be fully involved in the participatory irrigation management system. This will help to curtail water theft and control of water related disputes, he said.
Karamat further directed the Chief Executive of Lower Chenab Canal Circle to ensure maximum participation of FO members in the training programme and asked to send their attendance report to PIDA Headquarters on daily basis.