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Govt agrees to hand over

37.5 m acre of barren land

to MNCs for irrigation

ANWAR RAJANI

KARACHI: The government has agreed in principle to hand over 37.5 million acres of barren land to multinational companies for irrigation under a corporate scheme.

This land has been surveyed and multinational companies have been contacted to come forward and cultivate these large chunks scattered all over the country.

According to the proposal, pumping stations will be set up at various points on the banks of the river Indus to supply water to these lands. At a later stage, small dams will be constructed for the supply of water on permanent basis.

The government of Pakistan has convened a meeting at Islamabad on March 28, which will be attended by representatives from all the provinces and the ministry of agriculture and food, for finalising the scheme. This is the first experiment of its kind, being undertaken in Pakistan. Such schemes have met with success in Latin America.

According to informed sources, the Islamabad meeting will take final decision on March 28 and an announcement to this effect will be made by the government immediately. In case this plan is successfully implemented, more agricultural land will be brought under corporate cultivation.