The Punjab Barrages Improvement Phase II Project aims to strengthen and modernize Jinnah Barrage and affiliated works to enable reliable and uninterrupted supply of water for over 2.1 million acres of farmland benefitting about 600,000 farm families for irrigation and domestic water users; and to build the capacity of Punjab Irrigation and Power Department’s ( IPD) in water resource management and irrigation system management.
“The development and management of water resources of the Indus Basin is a huge challenge, requiring very high levels of administrative engineering and scientific capability. While there has been progress, the current irrigation and drainage system suffers from deteriorating infrastructure and weak governance,” said Masood Ahmad, World Bank Lead Water Resources Specialist and Project Team Leader. “To reduce volatility to growth, Bank support will include rehabilitation of barrages and continued capacity development at the regional and federal level for managing water resources.”
The World Bank has a long history of partnership and collaboration with Pakistan and has supported more than 48 operations in irrigation, drainage, water resources development and the power sector. Jinnah Barrage is one of the highest priority barrages in the Indus System as it provides a bridge over the Indus River to link the roads between the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Punjab provinces.
