KP Starts Work On Four Small Dams To Boost Agriculture Sector

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Oct, 2021 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to spend over Rs 8.65 billion on the construction of four small dams to boost the agriculture sector of the province.

An official of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irrigation Department said on Monday that the dams will bring thousands of acres more land under cultivation.

The feasibility study of Sher Dara Dam in Swabi has been completed that would be constructed on 1,600 acres of land at a cost of Rs2.61 billion.

Similarly, the design of Sar Khowai Dam in Mardan has also been prepared. The dam will be constructed on 1,622 acres and its estimated cost was Rs1.82 billion.

The design of Samrai Payan Dam in Kohat has also been prepared which will be constructed on 1,800 acres. The dam is estimated to be completed with a cost of Rs1.26 billion.

Feasibility study of Noor Nala Dam in Dera Ismail Khan has also been completed and it will be constructed on 6,500 acres.

The estimated cost of this dam is Rs2.95 billion. In total Rs8.65 billion would be spent on these projects with an aim of boosting the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, the KP government has inaugurated a small hydroelectric power plant in Upper Chitral District. Constructed near Shandur in the remote area of Sur Laspor Valley, the new power plant has provided electricity after 74 years.

The power plant was completed with the financial assistance of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO). The PEDO was working on 54 small hydropower plants in Chitral.

In September, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced that the Ranolia hydraulic project has started producing electricity adding 17MW power to the national grid. Constructed in Kohistan District, the 17 Megawatts project generates an annual income of Rs416 million.

The Power project has been constructed under the supervision of PEDO, a subsidiary of the energy and power department.