An important meeting regarding the overall performance of the Irrigation Department, ongoing development projects, and proposed schemes for the upcoming financial year 2025–26 was held at the office of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Irrigation

An important meeting regarding the overall performance of the Irrigation Department, ongoing development projects, and proposed schemes for the upcoming financial year 2025–26 was held at the office of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Irrigation, Riaz Khan, in Peshawar. The meeting was attended by Secretary Irrigation Abdul Basit along with senior officers of the department.
During the meeting a detailed briefing was given on approved development projects currently underway across the province, as well as unapproved schemes for the next financial year. The meeting was informed about the current status of various projects included in the list of unapproved schemes for FY 2025–26, including estimated costs, funds released, progress on project documents, and matters under consideration at relevant forums. It was briefed that project documents for some schemes have already been received, while documentation for others is still pending. Some projects are under review at the relevant forums, whereas a few have been deferred after further scrutiny.
The meeting also focused on the rehabilitation of the canal system, projects for protection against potential floods, conversion of tube wells to solar energy, construction of small dams, and initiatives related to agricultural development. On this occasion, reference was also made to the directives of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, regarding public welfare and the timely completion of development projects, and it was reiterated that development activities across the province would be made more effective in line with the Chief Minister’s vision.
Addressing the meeting, Provincial Minister for Irrigation Riaz Khan said that special attention is urgently required for development works in the merged areas, and no negligence in this regard will be tolerated. He directed that the pace of work on ongoing projects in the merged areas be accelerated and that available resources be utilized effectively to provide immediate relief to the public. He further emphasized that strong focus must be maintained on departmental performance so that no question mark is raised over the performance of the Irrigation Department. The Provincial Minister made it clear that there would be no compromise on departmental performance, transparency and good governance. He instructed the concerned officers to complete documentation for all unapproved projects at the earliest and submit them to the relevant forums to avoid any delay in the development process. He added that the provincial government is fully committed to the timely completion of public welfare projects, effective utilization of resources, and modernization of the irrigation system across the province.