Daily Times

Minister for Water Resources Dr Musadik Masood Malik on Tuesday informed the National Assembly that under Green Pakistan Initiative, a plan has been devised to bring barren land in the country under cultivation and enhanced per acre crops productivity through employing various modern techniques.

Responding to a calling attention notice raised by Syed Naveed Qamar and others regarding the news in the media of 4.8 million acres of land being given for corporate farming resulting in diversion of water, he said 812,000 acres of land has been acquired so far to bring barren land under cultivation.

He said it would a joint venture and so far Punjab and Sindh have transferred land. However, other provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan have not yet transferred land.

The minister said a company has also been registered under green initiatives. Under the plan, 40 per cent revenue each would be given to the respective province and investors while remaining 20 per cent revenue would be purely specified for research and development (R&D) in this sector.

He said required irrigation water for the scheme would be provided from share of the respective province. Around 400,000 acres command area would come under the Cholistan scheme in Punjab, he said.

He said the project would cost Rs 211 billion under which 296 kilometer long canal would be constructed. It would consist of 176 km long Cholistan Canal and 120 km Marur Canal, he added.

He categorically said that water distribution in the said canals would be purely met through the share of respective provinces and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) would issue proper certificate in this regard.

The Cholistan Canal would get water for four months from share of Punjab province while for 2 months it would feed through flood water, he said.

Responding to a point raised by Syed Naveed Qamar, the minister said the federal government could not ask from the provinces about their water share distribution in their respective provinces after the 18th constitutional amendment.

He went on to say that two provinces- Punjab and Sindh have signed agreement so far and identified land for the said scheme under Green Pakistan Initiative.

Musadik Malik said that telemetry system was being installed on water distribution system which would completely address reservation of provinces in judicious water distribution as per the water accord.

He said the project mainly aimed at enhancing per acre yield through drip irrigation, tunnel farming and productive farming which required massive investment. It was also an attempt to bring barren land under cultivation, he added.

The minister also urged the Speaker to set up a committee of the House under chairmanship of Naveed Qamar or Khursheed Shah to thoroughly discuss the issue.