Punjab chalks out plan for reclamation of water-logging hit land

Punjab government has chalked out a four-year plan costing more than Rs 2.14 billion for the promotion of agriculture and prosperity of farmers in the province. Sources in Agriculture department told Business Recorder on Friday that under the plan special attention would be accorded on reclamation of water-logging and salinity hit land in different district of the Punjab.
The reclamation is the process of changing land that rendered unfit for farming sources said. The proposed reclamation programme would be supportive in making water-logging and salinity hit land cultivable in across the Province. The proposed plan would be carried out during next fiscal year and government was making adequate arrangements for initiating the proposed plan for attaining yielding results sources added.
Punjab government under the directives of Punjab Chief Minister has initiated a detailed plan to introduce new modes to promote agriculture sector on modern lines and to save the irrigation water through modern irrigation system. About 25 percent canal water, 30 percent water courses and 35 percent water is wasted in agriculture fields from available water resources as a result of which availability of water reduced to 45 million acre feet whereas required water is 65 million acres feet is needed for crops annually in Punjab.
According to the experts the agriculture sector is confronting with the shortage of water since long and it will be more worsen in future. The experts urged upon the farmer community that they should adopt modern irrigation technology for avoiding the wastage of irrigation water. The adoption of modern of modern irrigation system will be supportive in saving 40 to 60 percent water as well as help to save 30 to 60 percent the wastage of fertilizer.
The Punjab government has set aside Rs 4.76 billion for a three-year plan for the promotion of per acre yield in the province. Under the programme special attention has been accorded on introducing modern irrigation technologies to cope with the fast climatic changes.