ADP to focus on irrigation, water infrastructure

Afridi stresses focus on restoring existing schemes, accelerating dam projects, and flood-resilient

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi presided over an important meeting on Saturday to review proposed development projects for the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2026-27 under the departments of Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, and Communication and Works.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the preparation of a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation and restoration of existing water supply and sanitation schemes across the province. He stressed that making the current water supply infrastructure fully functional is among the top priorities of the provincial government.

CM Afridi instructed officials to include all districts in the planning process and ensure that PC-1 documents for all relevant projects are prepared well before the finalization of the budget.

The meeting endorsed the inclusion of regular schemes in the new ADP for the urgent restoration of irrigation infrastructure damaged by floods. The Chief Minister also directed the authorities to prepare a detailed framework for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Flood Resilience Programme.

Highlighting the importance of water storage, Sohail Afridi emphasized the need to complete remaining work on Sanam Dam, Chashma Akora Khail Dam, and Sarozai Dam at the earliest. He gave in-principle approval to several proposed schemes for the construction of new dams, stating that dams are equally vital for flood control and irrigation purposes. He added that timely completion of ongoing projects is essential.

It was also decided in the meeting that a scheme for the rehabilitation and repair of the existing infrastructure of Chashma Right Bank Canal will be included in the new development programme. Additionally, a comprehensive letter will be sent to the federal government to seek support for implementing the Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal Project.

The Chief Minister described the CRBC project as extremely important for irrigating hundreds of thousands of acres of land and called for adequate funding from the federal government in the new PSDP.

He further directed that priority be given to activating existing irrigation infrastructure across all regions on an urgent basis.

The Communication and Works Department was instructed to prepare regular schemes for the immediate restoration of roads and bridges damaged by floods.