A considerable amount of water loss occurs from the old community water courses
due to their poor maintenance and deterioration over time. This results in severe
water shortages at the farm level. However, this loss can be reduced sufficiently
by improving the water courses. For this purpose, a four-year National Programme
for Improvement of Water Courses (NPIWC) was launched in 2004 in 28 districts of
the Punjab and was funded by the Federal and Provincial Governments. The project
was launched in collaboration with the Agriculture Department to improve 2000 water
courses in both the irrigated and barani (rain fed) areas at a total cost of Rs
2.31 billion and under which the regional staff worked with the Water Users Associations
(WUAs). PRSP had divided the work with NRSP that was also involved in this project.
The key objectives of the project have been to reduce the loss of irrigation water,
increase overall water conveyance efficiency, increase overall yield/production
of the farmer and increase employment opportunities. Moreover, the project’s expected
outcome have included the formation of 1,127 Water Users Association (WUAs), brick
lining of 20-30% of the length of each of the 1,127 WCs and earthen improvement
of the remaining length while ensuring community contribution in the form of labour
(36%) and material (64%). Till June 2008, 1,127 watercourses were completed against
the target of 3,000. In the canal irrigated areas, 414 WCs against the target of
2,000 were completed while in the barani (rain-fed) areas, 713 WCs against the target
of 1,000 were completed.
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