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PESHAWAR, Nov 24 (APP):Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Monday expressed strong commitment to advancing the long-delayed Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) Lift Canal Project, terming it one of the most transformative initiatives for the province’s economic future.
In a detailed letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the CM emphasized the immense agricultural and social benefits the project promises for the southern districts and reiterated the provincial government’s full readiness to move forward without delay, said an official communique issued here.
Highlighting the project’s strategic significance, the CM noted that the CRBC Lift Canal is the only major irrigation project among the four provincial schemes that has yet to begin, despite being included under the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord.
He reaffirmed that its timely initiation would open a new era of agricultural prosperity and help uplift terrorism-affected regions by bringing tens of thousands of acres under cultivation.
Afridi recalled that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had already defined a financing formula in 2016, under which the federal government would provide 65 percent of the funding while KP would contribute 35 percent.
He welcomed this formula and noted that KP had already fulfilled its commitments by releasing Rs 2 billion for land acquisition in 2024–25 and allocating Rs 5 billion for 2025–26.
He further pointed out that ECNEC’s approval of the Rs 189 billion project in October 2022 marked a major milestone and demonstrated the federal government’s recognition of its value.
The CM expressed confidence that with timely federal support and expedited action from WAPDA, practical work could finally begin, unlocking long-awaited benefits for the province.
Terming the CRBC Lift Canal a “lifeline project” for the southern districts, he stated that it has the potential to generate Rs 38 billion in annual economic returns and irrigate more than 280,000 acres of barren land, leading to a substantial increase in agricultural productivity.
He stressed that accelerating the project would not only improve livelihoods but also contribute to long-term regional stability and food security.
He urged the Prime Minister to ensure the allocation of necessary funds through the PSDP or donor financing and to direct WAPDA to begin on-ground work without further delay.
He expressed optimism that with federal-provincial cooperation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would soon be able to reap the economic and agricultural benefits of this vital project.