Farmer Organisations collect Rs 1,114 million from farmers as Abiana

Farmer Organisations (FOs) established by the Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA) in the Area Water Boards have collected a sum of Rs 1,114 million from the farmers as "Abiana."
This was stated by General Manager (Operations) here on Sunday at PIDA Headquarters. Deputy GM (Op.) Mian Muhammad Javed, DGM (SM), Shaiq Hussain Abdi and Managers (Op.) of area water boards Punjab were also present on the occasion.
He further said that the farmers are taking keen interest in the management of canals and this has helped to improve the service delivery. In the pilot Area Water Board of Lower Chenab Canal Circle (East), Rs 684 while Rs 332 million in Lower Chenab Canal (West) Circle have been collected from the farmers as water charges. Similarly, FOs in Bahawalnagar Canal Circle collected Rs 93 million and Derajat Canal Circle FOs collected Rs 11 million as water charges. Likewise, FOs in Lower Jehlum Canal Circle also collected Rs 35 million from the farmers under the head of Abiana. He said that the water supply at tail ends of the distributaries during Rabi Crop season remained 100 percent as per authorised discharge in the Area Water Board of LCC (East).