The government will ensure 100% use of canal water: Minister Goyal
Ludhiana: The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has announced that it will strive to increase productivity in farms, save electricity and prevent further depletion of groundwater level by ensuring 100 per cent utilisation of canal water for irrigation. The announcement was made by Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Friday after inaugurating the 24-km long paved section (lining and rehabilitation) of the second Patiala feeder canal near Jourepul. Goyal said, “While earlier only 68 per cent of the water received from the dams was properly utilised, the rest was allowed to go waste. Our government has facilitated the use of 84 per cent of the canal water by carrying out technical upgradation of banks and basins.” He assured that the government is prepared to ensure 100 per cent utilisation of canal sources. Elaborating on the project, Goyal said the project has been completed in a record time of six weeks at a cost of merely Rs 36 crore, while its estimated cost was Rs 42 crore. He said it would benefit farmers of 10 blocks of Patiala, Malerkotla, Sangrur and Mansa besides parts of Ludhiana district. The minister said the paving of canal banks would increase agricultural productivity as the canal water contains additional elements required for the growth and development of crops.
He also mentioned other benefits like saving of electricity and preventing depletion of ground water level. Goyal further said that ultimately the project would boost agriculture in about 4,00,000 acres in 10 blocks of Patiala, Sangrur, Malerkotla and Mansa districts as they would now get 1,617 cusecs of water, which is almost double than earlier. Goyal stressed that the Punjab government is committed to strengthen agriculture, which is the backbone of the state’s economy. MLAs Manwinder Singh Gyaspura, Prof Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra, Gurdev Singh Maan and Improvement Trust Malerkotla Chairman Saqib Ali Raja were prominently present on the occasion.
