Government Support” Rs 1000 million Project to Boost Farming in Arid Districts

RAWALPINDI: The balloting was held at the office of the Agency for Barani Areas Development (ABAD) for providing government financial assistance for 69 mobile community solar tube well systems, construction of small and medium water reservoirs and other facilities in arid districts of Rawalpindi department. The balloting was held in a meeting chaired by Director General ABAD Shireen Naz. Under the balloting, financial assistance will be provided to more than 350 farmers in 10 arid districts for community solar tube wells, construction of medium and small water reservoirs and provision of additional facilities to already constructed ponds. The draw was done in a transparent manner and apart from the ABAD Department, the officers of the Rawalpindi Public Relations Department and the Commissioner’s Office Rawalpindi were also present and the footage of the entire process was also made.This financial support will be provided under the Integrated Farms Development Project which started in 2022 with an initial cost of Rs 450 million. Later, the value of this project was increased to Rs.1000 million. As much as 80% progress has been made on this project which is to be completed by June 2025.As many as 69 mobile community solar tubewell systems will be provided at a cost of Rs 20 lakh per system under the draw.

Each system will benefit three to seven farmers and each solar tubewell system will be able to irrigate 200 acres of land. These solar tubewell systems will be mobile and can be moved from one field to another. The farmer will be responsible for providing the motor and water source for this project. Eight community solar tube well systems will be provided to farmers in Attock district, six in Rawalpindi district, eight in Chakwal district, six in Jhelum district, while nine solar tube well systems will be provided to farmers in Khushab district, 17 in Bhakkar district, eight in Layyah district and six in Narowal district.In this draw, 155 small water reservoirs will be set up at the cost of Rs 500,000 each, while 10 medium level water reservoirs worth Rs 10 lakh each will be constructed. As many as 15 farmers will be provided with modern facilities in their water reservoirs including water level uplifting at a cost of Rs.5 lakh per person. The Integrated Farms Development Project is for the districts of Attock, Rawalpindi including Murree, Jhelum, Chakwal, Khushab, Bhakkar, Narowal, Gujrat, Sialkot and Layyah.
DG ABAD Shireen Naz said on this occasion that under the financial support provided under the Integrated Farms Development Project, all the facilities are provided by the department itself, for which the help of highly reputed consultants has been obtained. He said that under this project, solar tube wells, water storage ponds and other facilities are provided to the farmers, after which the teams of ABAD Department go to the spot and inspect them regularly to maintain transparency. He said that the projects are regularly monitored with the help of the Facebook page of the Department of ABAD.