Chandigarh/Fatehgarh Sahib, July 29
Punjab Water Resources Mr. Barinder Kumar Goyal today inaugurated major development works to strengthen canal irrigation at village Sondha in the Fatehgarh Sahib Assembly Constituency.
Addressing the gathering, the Cabinet Minister said that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government has taken historic steps towards conserving groundwater by ensuring the maximum possible supply of canal water to farmers across the state.
Later, while interacting with mediapersons, Cabinet Minister said that projects involving the lining and strengthening of the Saidpura Minor, Rajindergarh Minor and 1-L Rajbaha over a total length of 33.68 kilometres along with the laying of 23.05 kilometres of underground pipelines have been completed in the Fatehgarh Sahib Assembly Constituency at a total cost of Rs.30.71 crore.
He said that underground pipelines are being laid at a cost of Rs.3.75 crore to provide canal water facilities to farmers in the villages of Sanipur, Barha, Chhaleri Kalan, Saifalpur, Muhammadipur, Adampur, Bibipur and Sarana in the Fatehgarh Sahib Assembly Constituency. The project will benefit an agricultural area of 2,332 acres and is expected to be completed soon.
The Cabinet Minister said that during the previous governments, only 26 per cent of canal water reached farmers’ fields in Punjab. However, the Aam Aadmi Party Government has invested Rs.7,500 crore to strengthen the canal irrigation network and increase canal water coverage to 86 per cent of the state’s villages.
The Water Resources Minister said that the Punjab Government is undertaking large-scale works to ensure the supply of canal water to every field across the state and canal water will soon reach every village. He added that strengthening the canal network will not only reduce farmers’ irrigation costs but will also help conserve groundwater for future generations.
On the occasion, Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Advocate Lakhbir Singh Rai thanked Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann and Water Resources Minister Mr. Barinder Kumar Goyal for the development works undertaken to strengthen canal irrigation in the constituency. He said that these projects would prove highly beneficial for the farming community and would provide a major boost to agricultural activities in the region.
The MLA said that the Punjab Government has accorded priority to the long-pending demand of farmers in the constituency for the supply of canal water and has taken concrete steps to ensure that canal water reaches their fields.
