Chandigarh: Hailing the Budget presented by Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema as progressive, visionary and people-centric, Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management and Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian today said that the financial roadmap will significantly strengthen drinking water infrastructure and transparent governance across the state.
Listing the initiatives of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, the Cabinet Minister said the government has proposed a budgetary outlay of Rs.1487 crore in FY 2026-27 to further expand access to safe drinking water and improve sanitation services across Punjab.
He said the government will focus on completing and commissioning 11 major surface water projects, which will ensure the supply of clean drinking water to 1230 quality-affected and water-stressed villages. These projects will play a key role in addressing long-standing water quality challenges and ensuring reliable drinking water supply in rural areas, he added.
S. Hardeep Singh Mundian further informed that drinking water mitigation works will also be undertaken in 125 habitations, while new projects will be launched in 88 uranium-affected areas to tackle serious contamination issues and safeguard public health.
The Cabinet Minister said the government will also launch the “Nal Jal Mitra” drive, under which one trained individual in every Gram Panchayat will support the operation and maintenance of rural water supply systems, thereby strengthening community-level participation and improving service delivery.
Welcoming the budgetary proposals related to the Revenue and Rehabilitation department, the Cabinet Minister said that the government’s decision to establish a new administrative complex at Sri Anandpur Sahib to commemorate the 350th Martyrdom Anniversary of Sahib Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, would be a revered initiative of the state government. The Cabinet Minister further informed that the government would design this administrative complex in heritage architectural style, which will bring key government offices under one roof, streamline administrative functioning and enhance public service delivery while preserving the historical and spiritual identity of the holy city.
Highlighting further initiatives of revenue department, Hardeep Singh Mundian said the government has taken several transformative steps to make land and property services transparent, technology-driven and citizen-centric.
He said Punjab has become the first state in the country to introduce the “Easy Jamabandi” initiative, which allows citizens to access land records, apply for mutations, request Rapat entries and obtain Fard Badar services through an online portal or even via WhatsApp with doorstep assistance from Sewa Sahayaks.
The Minister further said the “Easy Registry” project has simplified property registration procedures by introducing simplified deed formats and enabling district-wide registration choice with real-time updates for citizens. As many as 6.17 lakh documents have already been registered under this initiative, reflecting its wide acceptance and its role in curbing corruption at Sub-Registrar offices.
Referring to disaster management efforts, the Minister said the government demonstrated swift and systematic response during the devastating floods witnessed last year. During FY 2025-26, the government released Rs.1,010 crore for comprehensive disaster relief and mitigation, which included compensation for crop loss, damage to houses and livestock besides critical investments under the State Mitigation Fund.
He said Punjab has also introduced India’s first fully digital Flood Relief System, enabling geo-tagged surveys and real-time monitoring to ensure direct online transfer of relief funds to beneficiaries without intermediaries. The initiative has significantly reduced delays, enabling flood-affected families to receive financial assistance within a few months whereas earlier such relief often took six months to a year.
