First phase of Rainee, Kachhi Canal to be completed next year
By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD—Caretaker Minister for Water and Power Tariq Hamid on Friday said that the first phase of Rainee Canal is likely to be completed by December 2008 with an estimated cost of Rs.6.297 billion.
The Minister while addressing the senior officials at site directed them to ensure early completion of the project having 175 km length with 609 km distributions system. Chairman WAPDA Shakeel Durani, Member Water Ch. Muhammad Mushtaq and concerned GMs were present on the occasion.
He also directed to complete Kachhi Canal project as both projects have immense importance for Balochistan and Sindh enabling the provinces to draw its allocated share of water as per Water Apportionment Accord 1991.
The minister was informed that the first phase of Kachhi Canal project will also be completed by December 2008 with the cost of Rs. 6.656 billion covering the area of 47 km with 39 km distribution system.
Both canals will not only facilitate the irrigating of more than 700,000 acres in Kachhi Plain of Balochistan including about 100,000 acres in Dera Bugti but also prove better flood mitigation and aversion of losses of property.
Tariq Hamid also instructed the concerned for early completion of phases-II of said projects. He said that it should be their top priority to implement “vision 2025” programme being executed by the WAPDA aimed at irrigating more than 800,000 barren lands of Balochistan and Sindh.
He said both projects will give tremendous impetus to agricultural and livestock production, value of land and poverty alleviation, having crop benefits estimated at Rs.10 billion in a year.