Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has, in four years, ensured water supply to fields equivalent to the Bhakra canal by unlocking 10,000 cusecs from seasonal rivers and reviving the canal network.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said canal irrigation coverage has increased from 26.50 per cent in 2022 to 78 per cent at present.
Irrigation Coverage Nearly Triples
“Rs 6,700 crore has been spent on canal lining, repair, modernisation and strengthening of infrastructure from April 2022 till now, which is the highest ever in Punjab’s history,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said.
He noted that against a total canal irrigation potential of around 75.90 lakh acres, only 20.89 lakh acres, or 26.5 per cent, were receiving canal water until March 2022.
“Today, we have increased this coverage to nearly 58 lakh acres, taking utilisation to around 78 per cent. This is almost three times the earlier figure,” he said.
Large-Scale Canal Restoration And Expansion
Detailing the work undertaken, the Chief Minister said, “We have spent around Rs 2,000 crore to construct and restore nearly 13,000 km of canals, due to which canal water is now reaching 58 lakh acres. Along with this, around 7,000 water channels have been restored.”
“A total of 15,539 canals have been cleaned and 18,349 watercourses have been revived, ensuring that even tail-end agricultural fields now receive canal water,” he added.
He further said, “For the first time in Punjab’s history, 101 abandoned canals spanning 545 km have been revived. Many of these canals had been closed for 30 to 40 years and even filled up with soil. We restored them without acquiring even a single inch of land.”
Additional Water Supply Equivalent To Bhakra Canal
Highlighting the impact, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “By restoring old canal systems, we have ensured that an additional 10,000 cusecs of water is now reaching fields. In effect, we have created a new ‘Bhakra canal’ without acquiring any land.”
He added that revival of rainwater channels alone has brought an additional 2.75 lakh acres under irrigation.
Revival Of Key Canals And Infrastructure Upgrades
Citing an example, he said, “The 22-km-long Sarhali Minor canal had completely disappeared due to the negligence of previous governments. When our engineers began work, they discovered the canal buried underground. Even local people had forgotten about its existence. Today, we have revived it and made it fully operational.”
On major upgrades, he said, “The Ferozepur Feeder Canal, originally constructed in 1952, was upgraded in a record 35 days, increasing its capacity by 2,682 cusecs. Similarly, the Sirhind Canal, considered the lifeline of Malwa and built around 1950, has been upgraded after 75 years, increasing its capacity by 2,844 cusecs.”
“Through lining of major canals like Sirhind and Patiala, we have increased water availability by around 1.5 MAF and ensured that even tail-end areas no longer face shortages,” he added.
Round-The-Clock Supply And Expanded Reach
Addressing irrigation practices, the Chief Minister said, “Earlier, water in canals used to be supplied on a rotational basis, forcing farmers to wait for their turn. For the first time, we have ended this system and ensured that farmers get water every day.”
He added that canals were even run in reverse direction towards Harike Pattan when required to ensure equitable distribution.
“In the Kandi region, the canal in Hoshiarpur, which had remained non-functional for nearly 40 years, has now been revived,” he said, adding that around 1,400 villages are now receiving canal water for the first time since Independence.
New Infrastructure And Administrative Reforms
The Chief Minister said new canal systems such as Cheema Minor, Phillaur Minor, Karamgarh Link, Rajpura, Patran, Ghaggar and Kotla have expanded irrigation reach.
“We have constructed 8 new canals and made 18 pump systems operational,” he said.
He added that dedicated canal water and groundwater divisions, including Fatehgarh and Tarn Taran, have been created to improve efficiency and accountability.
Groundwater Conservation And Flood Management
On groundwater, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “In one village in Gurdaspur, groundwater extraction has come down from 61.48 per cent to around 31 per cent, which is a remarkable achievement.”
He said Rs 477 crore has been utilised from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund for 195 works related to flood prevention and water management.
“Desilting of rivers like Sutlej, Ravi and Ghaggar is underway with a target of removing 245 million cubic feet of silt,” he added, noting that 206 km of embankments are being strengthened.
Shahpur Kandi Dam Completed
Highlighting a long-pending project, he said, “The Shahpur Kandi Dam project, which had been pending for over 25 years, has now been completed at a cost of Rs 3,394.49 crore. This will enhance the efficiency of the Ranjit Sagar Dam and stop water from flowing into Pakistan.”
Farmers Benefit, Tourism Push Underway
“Canal water carries essential minerals, and its increased availability will significantly improve crop productivity. Farmers are happy as many are receiving canal water in their fields for the first time,” the Chief Minister said.
Invoking Punjab’s ethos, he added, “We are guided by the message of our Gurus, ‘Pavan Guru, Pani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat’, and we are committed to preserving our natural resources.”
He also said 26 tourist sites, including boating facilities and rest houses, have been developed to generate revenue.
Cabinet Minister Barinder Goyal and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
