The finance minister told the provincial assembly that for financial year 2012-13 Rs 2,799.913 million has been earmarked against the revised estimates of Rs 2,654.567 million for the year 2011-12.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a food deficient province. Since agriculture is the major water harvester, therefore sustainability of this sector directly depends on timely and adequate availability of water.

He informed that total cultivable land of the province is 6.55 million acres whereas irrigated area is only 2.27 million acres.      Due to lack of industrial development in the province, the importance of agriculture is crucial which mainly depends on a smooth and effective Irrigation system.

Total wheat requirements of the province annually is about 3.2 million while its domestics production is hardly about 1 million tons.

The province faces food deficient of nearly 2.2 million tons of wheat per annum which is met from PASSCO and open market purchases from Punjab.

The Minister said that keeping in view the importance of water sector about 5000 million rupees have been spent during the financial year 2011-12.

He said that during the financial year 2012-13 the government has planned to complete Bazai Irrigation scheme located in District Mardan and Malakand Agency.

The project would provide irrigation facilities to an additional area of 25000 acres, he added. Khandan Jonali Koch Irrigation Scheme in district Chitral would be completed which would irrigate an area of about 1200 acres.

Similarly, Hero Shah Minor off taking from upper Swat Canal having CCA of 2140 acres would be completed. Remodeling of Link Channel of Upper Swat Canal System (Swabi) and extension of Nandrak minor would be completed which will bring 1500 acres new area under command of upper Swat Canal System.

He said that work on new small dam in district Abbottabad would be started and about 50 new tube wells would be constructed to provide irrigation facility to an area of about 8000 acres.

Canal Patrol Roads in a length of about 75 km would be constructed/reconditioned, he said adding that protection facilities will be provided to an area of about 15000 acres against the flood hazards in vulnerable locations.

New small irrigation schemes in most feasible sites would be constructed besides rehabilitation of existing small schemes.

Work on raising of Baran Dam district Bannu would be initiated to meet up the shortages of Marwat Canal System, he apprised the House.