– Farmers to receive abundant irrigation Water
– One project stalled for 4 decades, another canal blocked for 5.5 decades
– Says, pilot project to be set up to eliminate water-logging
– Punjab Government working in public interest: MLA Jagdeep Kamboj Goldi
Chandigarh/Jalalabad, 4 March:
Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government Government today presented a Rs.28 crore gift to farmers of the Jalalabad Assembly constituency as Water Resources Minister Brinder Kumar Goyal dedicated a new canal to the public and laid the foundation stone for another canal. He was accompanied by MLA Jagdeep Kamboj Goldi.
Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister Brinder Kumar Goyal said the Suhele Wala Rajbaha Main Branch canal, which earlier had a capacity of 11.55 cusecs, has now been increased to 36.35 cusecs. Its previous length of 3.33 kilometers has been extended to 13.96 kilometers. He said that this project was stalled for 40 years, and previous dispensations paid no attention to the farmers’ major demand. However, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government has completed the construction of this canal.
The Cabinet Minister informed that this canal will enable irrigation for 5500 acres across 9 villages, providing water to farmers of villages including Chak Suhele Wala, Chak Janishar, Laddhu Wala Uttar, Chak Dhab Khushhal Johian, Chak Panj Kohi, Chak Kabar Wala, Chak Ghulam Rasul Wala, Chak Balochaan and Bahmani Wala. Along with the canal’s construction, facilities for underground pipelines have been provided for bridges, siphons, regulators and canal crossings, said the Cabinet Minister, adding that the state government has spent Rs.23.06 crore on the construction of this canal.
Similarly, the Cabinet Minister laid the foundation stone for the Chaudhry Minor at Village Tahliwala Bodla. This minor canal, which has been closed since 1969, will have a total length of 5 kilometers and a capacity of 18.26 cusecs. The government will spend Rs 5.18 crore on the construction of this canal, which will benefit villages like Ghatianwali Jattan, Ghatianwali Bodlan, Chahla, Tahliwala Bodlan, Singhpura and Islam Wala, providing canal water to 2,743 acres.
The Cabinet Minister lamented, “previous governments only did politics in the name of irrigation water but made no efforts to ensure water reach farms, saying that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is committed to providing full water supply to the tail-end. When canal water reaches the fields, it will also help conserve groundwater, he added.
The Cabinet Minister also informed that a project worth over Rs.27 crore has been initiated in the Arniwala area to eliminate water logging, with water logging to be eliminated from 29 villages in two years.
While addressing, MLA Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy said that Mann government is continuously making efforts in the interest of the people and projects that were pending for decades are being completed.
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Ferozepur Feeder Canal to be constructed with Rs.687 Crore
Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal announced that the Punjab Government has initiated a project to renovate the Ferozepur Feeder Canal with an investment of Rs.687 crore. He said that construction will commence immediately upon approval from the union government, promising abundant water to farmers from Harike Pattan to Fazilka, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Ferozepur and Faridkot districts. He said that previous governments utilized only 68% of available water for agriculture, while the Mann government has increased this to 84%.
Balluana MLA Amandeep Singh Goldy Musafir, Fazilka MLA Narinder Pal Singh Sawna, former Abohar MLA Arun Narang, District President Sunil Sachdeva, Market Committee Chairman Devraj Sharma and Sherbaj Singh Sandhu, Manjinder Singh Sajan Khera also addressed the gathering.
Prominent amongst others who were present included Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, SSP Varinder Singh Brar, SDM Kanwar Jeet Singh Mann, Superintending Engineer Mr. Sandeep Goyal, Executive Engineer Balwinder Kamboj, Divisional Land Conservation Officer Gurinder Singh, local leaders Pooja Luthra Amrik Singh Sarpanch Maulvi Wala, Gurmeet Singh Sandhu, Ravinder Singh, Buta Singh, Manpreet Singh, Sonu Sarpanch Lakhowali, Harish Setia and Pradeep.