Two (separate) plans are being finalised (in Islamabad ) for developing new water resources in Sindh and Balochistan to help meet their growing needs. The Balochistan part would cost Rs. 2.3 billion and the Sindh part Rs. 1.7 billion. Both plans are likely to be implemented next year (2006-07).

Both are parts of World Bank's new water plan for Pakistan . It aims to help meet the drinking, agricultural and industrial needs of the country. WB will provide funds and technical help for both provinces.

Balochistan Development Authority's Ground Water Division too is to be revived for meeting the objectives whose main point is optimising use of scarce (water) resources for agricultural production. Focus here will be on economising water use for fruit and vegetable crops.

In Sindh the focus will be on irrigation needs of Sanghar and Umerkot districts (290,000 acres) for which Makhi-Farash Link Canal Project (Chotiari Phase-II) has been approved.

Indus River System Authority, however, has still to confirm availability of water for the project. The area is currently irrigated by the 76 mile tail section of Nara Canal below Makhi Weir through a network of off taking channels.

The canal will off take from Chotiari Reservoir (discharge capacity 6,500 cusecs) and serve 290,000 acres in Sanghar and adjoining districts.

But this part of Nara Canal has a persistent silting problem which has throttled it from the designed 3,860 cusecs to 1,867 cusecs at Makhi and from 3,100 to 870 cusecs at Farash. Agriculture here has therefore suffered a serious set back.

Channels below Farash are run in rotation even in Kharif. Shortly after converting Nara Inundation Canal into a weir controlled canal, its tail section (below Makhi Weir) started facing problems.

The aim is to remodel all existing channels for revised designed capacities and provide a re-aligned 18 miles shorter canal between Makhi Weir and Farash regulator with realistic gradient.

Federal government belie-ves the project is important because of its being linked with Chotiari Phase-II and because of being a part of Left Bank Outfall Drain. It should, therefore, not be delayed any more and its execution period should be reduced to 30 months.

Planning Commission wants IRSA to urgently okay water availability for Makhi Farash Link Canal . Sindh's Irrigation & Power Department has assured the PC that land needed for the project will be acquired in six months.