Iqbal seeks effective proposals for Kachhi Canal

Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday asked experts to provide reasonable ideas within two months for moving 400–500 cusecs of water from the Kachhi Canal. He emphasized it is important to restore the canal before coming up with a plan to deal with future flood scenarios.

Iqbal held a video meeting on the canal project, attended by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti as well as provincial ministers and officials. In the meeting, Iqbal highlighted the Rs 300 billion cut in the development budget and emphasized that a possible solution can be derived with the limited available resources.

The Kachhi Canal project in Balochistan aims to irrigate 713,000 acres of land. The Chief Minister Bugti said that irrigation system of the province was badly affected in floods. this situation led to the closure of Kachhi Canal, which further resulted in halting of the cultivation in the region.

Iqbal praised the urban canal model of Punjab for its long sustainability and recommended that the province should consider adopting this concept.

CM Bugti stated that he has his hopes high that the canal’s water supply would soon be restored and the government will formulate an effective strategy to deal with upcoming difficulties and to provide people of Balochistan with best facilities.