ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee (EC) of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military initiative, has directed Secretary Water Resources Chairman WAPDA and Chairman IRSA to submit timelines for installation of telemetry system on key sites of Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS), well informed sources told Business Recorder.

Punjab and Sindh have serious differences on ‘water theft’ from Taunsa barrage to Guddu barrage - Sindh maintains that it is not getting its due share of water at Guddu as a lot of water disappears from Taunsa to Guddu.

A special panel during the tenure of the previous government headed by Khalid Magsi, in its preliminary findings, concluded that Punjab released 69000 cusecs of water from Taunsa barrage, but only 37000 cusecs of water reached Guddu barrage.

IRSA releases 229,800 cusecs of water

Secretary Ministry of Water Resources has been directed to finalise ToRs for legal experts to be engaged in corporate farming, corporatising smallholder and private farms, and contract farming projects, in association with the Asian Development Bank, besides identification of milestones and deadlines for speedy completion of the activity to be presented in the next EC meeting.

Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Chief Secretary Punjab have been asked to submit milestone based plan for installing Track and Trace system in the land being offered by the government of Punjab for corporate farming.

Ministries of Water Resources, MNFS&R and Chief Secretary Punjab have been directed to expedite proposal for development of irrigation network for water availability in Cholistan Area, to cater for proposed Cholistan corporate farming/ livestock investment projects.

Secretary MNFS&R has been directed to re-evaluate cooperative farming model, earlier developed by the Planning Commission of Pakistan in the working group (WG), to ascertain its viability. The EC has sought a presentation of an action plan and timelines for restructuring of MNFSR and its attached departments, including:(i) Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department; (ii) Department of Plant Protection; (iii) Animal Quarantine Department and (iv) delisting of underperforming or dormant seed companies. In an update on fast streamlining of seed certification system to reduce the time required for certification and delisting of underperforming seed companies has also been sought.

“EnerTech” a Kuwaiti company, has shown interest in the Food Processing Zone, Daraban, D.I. Khan. The possibility of G2G engagement will be explored if the company qualifies for the arrangement. MoFA/ Embassy of Pakistan Kuwait will verify the credentials of the company. The feasibility of the project would be reviewed to update data, etc. MNFSR Working Group would examine Karachi wastewater project and present recommendations to EC. The concerned authorities have been directed that issues/ hurdles/ bottlenecks being faced in implementation of ongoing projects for lining of water courses, distributaries, and minors to reduce conveyance loss be sorted in concerned WG and a report be presented in next EC.

An actionable plan, including deadlines and milestones for promoting high efficiency irrigation systems and laser land levelling, rehabilitation of barrages and remodelling of irrigation networks also be worked out in the next concerned WG. The sources said, a viable and comprehensive plan and financing models for construction of the following large, medium, and small dams will also be worked out in WG: [i) Mohmand, Naulong, Nai Gaj, and; (ii) Garuk, Basol, Winder, Panjgur, Awaran, Gishkaur (10 MAF) up to 2030.

An implementation framework for ensuring digital mapping of existing surface and groundwater infrastructure in irrigation, drainage, floods, and drinking-water sub-sectors while utilising Geographic Information System (IGIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) is to be worked out in WG. All provinces will devise a uniform plan and format for development of web-based Water Resources Management Information System (WR-MIS), which should be finalized in WG.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023