Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, expressing concern over the impact of climate change on water scarcity, has directed the irrigation and agriculture departments to introduce a new cropping pattern featuring low delta, high-yield crops. This initiative aims to reduce water consumption and enhance agricultural efficiency in the face of emerging challenges posed by climate change.
Chairing a joint meeting of the Irrigation and Agriculture departments at the CM House, attended by Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah, and other officials, CM Shah emphasized the need for proactive measures to address anticipated water shortages during the Kharif season-2024, which could reach up to 30 percent.
The CM instructed Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah to convene joint meetings of the concerned departments and formulate plans for changing cropping patterns to accommodate low delta high-yield crops. He also stressed the importance of educating farmers on efficient water usage and highlighted the government’s priority on lining water courses to optimize irrigation.
Additionally, CM Murad Shah reviewed the progress of the K-IV Augmentation project, allocating Rs14.7 billion as the provincial government’s 20 percent share. He directed Minister P&D Syed Nasir Hussain Shah to expedite pending approvals for procurement related to the project and instructed relevant departments to pursue necessary NOCs for the augmentation works.
Acknowledging some pending approvals at the Planning Commission, the CM pledged to personally engage with federal authorities to accelerate the K-IV project. Furthermore, he directed the P&D department to initiate the hiring process for consultants for the augmentation component, ensuring preparedness for project implementation upon approval.
