Providing canal water to farmers for irrigation is state government’s top priority: Meet Hayer

Chandigarh: Keeping in view of the declining ground water standards, providing canal water to farmers for irrigation is a top priority of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led state government. The government is committed to supply canal water to every farm. It was stated by Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer today during the question hour of budget session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha in response to the question of MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.

Meet Hayer further said that this time in the budget, Rs 2630 Crore has been kept for the water resources department for the strengthening and cleaning of canals. Currently, 366 projects worth Rs 870 Crores are underway and proposal of 7 projects have been sent to the Centre. The department is continuously working on the instructions of the Chief Minister to make canal water available to the farmers.

Giving a written reply to the MLA’s question, Meet Hayer said that there is a proposal for the lining of the unlined channels in the District Ludhiana. Out of which concrete lining of Kalas Disty, Sarabha Minor, Rattowal Minor, Nurpur Minor, Bassian Sub Minor, Kanganwal Disty, Akalgarh Disty and Jassowal Disty has already been started and will be completed by 31st March 2023. In addition to these projects for the lining of 2-R Disty system, 3-R Disty system, 4-R Disty system, Maholi Minor and Ballowal Minor are also approved by the state government. The proposal for concrete lining of these distributaries/minors will be taken up at the earliest.