Frequently Asked Questions
What is Entitlement?
Entitlement is the share of each Canal System in any 10-Daily period provided in the canal operation programme for each crop season i.e Kharif and Rabi.
What is Canal Operation Programme?
Canal Operation Programme is prepared from the seasonal share allocated by IRSA for each crop.
What is Kharif & Rabi Seasons?
Kharif season starts from April 1 to Sep 30 & Rabi season starts from October 1 to March 31, each year for canal water deliveries & entitlement.
How is the share of each provice determined by IRSA?
The share of each province is determined by IRSA in accordance with the Provisions of Water.
Can you tell me about Water Accord 1991?
The Water Accord 1991 apportions the Indus Basin water among the four provinces of Pakistan and lays down the basis for sharing shortages and surpluses.
Can you highlight various Clauses provided in Water Accord 1991?
Linked with 14 clauses a Water Accord 1991.
What is bench mark for determining shortages and surpluses?
The bench mark for determining shortages and surpluses is the average system uses of 1977-82 as provided in the Water Accord.
What were Average Uses of 1977-82, as described in the Water Accord of 1991?
Average Uses of 1977-82 are the actual water uses in the canals during the period 1977-82.
What is the significance of Canal Operation Programmes?
Canal Operation Programmes are prepared at the provincial level according to share allocated by IRSA after incorporating the surpluses & shortages.
What are shortages / surpluses and their calculation protocol?
The record of actual water system uses for the period 1977-82, forms the guide lines for developing a future regulation pattern. These ten daily uses are adjusted pro rata to correspond to the indicated seasonal allocations of the different canal systems & form the basis for sharing shortages & surpluses on all Pakistan basis.
How the Average System Uses are determined?
Average System uses are determined based on the actual water uses in the Canal for a certain period.
What is meant by Operation & Rotation for Canals on 10-daily basis, and why a 10 daily basis is used to begin with?
The extent of shortages/ surpluses is intimated to the field Chief Engineers also proposals for the operations of their respective canals on 10-daily basis are invited. Chief Engineers prepare this programme in consultation with the local Agriculture Department, i.e. Deputy Director / Directors, at District levels on higher hierarchy.
What is the Detail of Compiling of the system on a provincial level?
The comprehensive Canal Operation Programme is compiled at Provincial level from the proposals received from the field Chief Engineers and a copy of this programme is sent to the Agriculture Department at Provincial level for their concurrence.
Why the Irrigation Departments needs concurrence of Agriculture Department while developing a Canal Operation Programme?
Agriculture Department is responsible for crop management and since the Canal water is used for agricultural purpose so concurrence of Agriculture Department is necessary to ensure its timely availability to meet the crop requirements.
How the Public is notified through Newspapers, Radio or TV?
After receiving concurrence of the Agriculture Department, Canal Operation Programme is discussed in the Wheat Management Group, Cotton Management Group and Rice Working Group Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Minister for Agriculture which is also attended by all the District Agriculture Officers, Farmers and Farmers Organizations for Wheat and Kharif crops respectively, finalized and notified for information to the General Public. Subsequently the Canals are operated according to this Operational Programme.
What is Wheat Management Group?
Wheat Management Group is a body at the provincial level comprises of the Minister Agriculture, Secretary Agriculture, Agriculture Officers, Researchers, Farmers, Chief Engineers of Irrigation and Farmers Organizations.
What is Cotton Management Group?
Cotton Management Group is a body at the provincial level comprising the Minister Agriculture, Secretary Agriculture, Agriculture Officers, Researchers of Cotton Research Institute Multan, Farmers & Chief Engineers of Irrigation and Farmers Organizations.
What is Rice Working Group?
Rice Group is a body at the provincial level comprising the Minister Agriculture, Secretary Agriculture, Agriculture Officers, Researchers, Farmers, Chief Engineers of Irrigation, and Farmers Organizations.
Are there variations in actual operations of canals?
Yes. The Variations in actual operation (actual discharge flowing) of canals compared with the Entitlements are due to fluctuations in river flows, due to weather conditions (loss or more inflow to rivers, snowmelt, rainfall etc) which consequently required to make changes in the indents.
How the variations in actual operation are taken care off?
The variation in the actual operation is taken care of by Rotational Programme, prepared by each Canal Division assigning the preference to each Canal System in rotation according to the actual available supplies.
Is Rotational Programme of each Canal Division available to public and water uses (Irrigation)?
Yes. It is published in the new papers and also posted on the Notice Board of the Divisional Office.
How the Rotational Programme help the farmers and far new organization?
From the information shown on the Rotational Programme any person, Farmer or F.O., can ask any operator including Sec I&P, C.Es, SE, X.E.N, S.D.O or Chief Monitoring why his canal is closed against the date on the Rotational Programme.
Is the Entitlements and Rotational Plan and other data available on Web Site.
Yes, the Entitlement of Main Canals issued by IRSA is available on the Web Site and the other information about Rotational Plan on Divisional Level is being captured and will be put on the Web Site in due course of time.
