Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada visited Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) here on Monday.

Federal Minister, in a meeting with PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, emphasized the need of rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation to solve the problems regarding water scarcity.

Federal Minister also stressed that there is a need of capacity building programmes to promote water management system and urged the young scientists to come up with innovative solutions to the issues being faced by nation in current scenario. Federal Minister appreciated the efforts of PMAS-AAUR being made regarding latest techniques of water management to make barren lands productive.

In a meeting, it was also decided that PMAS-AAUR and Pakistan Sports Board will sign MoU  in the area of rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation, and landscape of sport’s areas in Islamabad. Furthermore, Federal Minister was briefed about the efforts of Punjab Govt to improve water management for irrigation and crop-water productivity.

Earlier, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, PMAS-AAUR, highlighted the need of water resource management and assured full cooperation of PMAS-AAUR. He recommended that it is time to increase investments in water reservoirs; improve water management, irrigation and crop cultivation; introduce rainwater harvesting and launch of mass awareness campaigns.