ISLAMABAD, July 27: The Punjab government on Wednesday announced its plan to construct eight more small dams in the Potohar region for which it has earmarked Rs750 million.

Addressing a press conference, Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh said the Small Dams Organization had completed feasibility studies for ten dams. These are apart from the 10 dams in Potohar region on which construction has already been in progress.

He said Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhehlum and Chakwal had been selected for the eight dams. These districts will have two each dams to be completed by 2013, he said.

Earlier, the provincial minister chaired a meeting of Small Dams Organisation to review the progress on construction of 10 small dams in Punjab.

He said that work on these small dams-- Dhrabi (Chakwal), Haji Shah (Rawalpindi), Taja Bara (Attock), Sadriyal (Attock), Shahbazpur (Attock), Ugahan (Rawalpindi), Dhoke Hum (Chakwal), Mundi (Chakwal), Dhoke Jhang (Chakwal), Uthwal (Chakwal) and Lakhwal (Chakwal) -- was progressing at a faster pace. The Chirah dam in Islamabad will have the capacity to store 15 million gallons of water.

From these dams, 11,1150 acre feet of water will be available to irrigate 78,605 acres of farmland in the Potohar region, he said.

There are 49 dams alone in the Potohar region operating in the districts of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal. These dams have brought 53,171 acres of land under cultivation. The dams have not only brought agricultural revolution but also provided drinking water to the people, helped develop fish farming and improve underground water table.

Furthermore, two small dams at Papean and Ghabeer in the potohar region were in advance stages of completion under Wapda. Besides, the Small Dam Organization was carrying out feasibility study of 21 additional dams, he said.

According to the Punjab agriculture minister, the Punjab government has launched a project at a cost of Rs19 billion to bring 100,000 acres of land under drip irrigation and leveling of 12,000 acres of land.

Funds worth Rs2 billion have been earmarked for Punjab Agricultural Research Board to carry out research projects. An amount of Rs44 million have been released for 53 projects, he explained.