All guarantees being fulfilled without discrimination, free healthcare up to ₹10 lakh & 600 units power delivered: Barinder Kumar Goyal
₹6,700 crore spent to strengthen irrigation, ensuring water to tail-end farmers: Barinder Kumar Goyal
₹214 crore Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme to bring canal water to higher altitudes, benefiting 33 villages and 11,500 acres: Barinder Kumar Goyal
CHANDIGARH / KATHGARH (SBSNAGAR), 19 March 2026:
Asserting that all guarantees are being fulfilled without discrimination, Punjab Water Resources and Soil and Water Conservation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the Bhagwant Mann-led government is delivering on its promises across sectors. The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has achieved a major irrigation breakthrough in the long-neglected Kandi belt, turning difficult terrain into cultivable opportunity.
With the ₹214 crore Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme bringing canal water to higher altitudes for the first time, he emphasised the AAP government’s pro-farmer schemes, highlighting higher water utilisation, large-scale infrastructure investment and a long-term vision linking farmer relief with economic transformation.
Marking a historic step, Punjab Water Resources and Soil and Water Conservation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal inaugurated the Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme developed at a cost of ₹214 crore. For the first time, canal water has been successfully lifted and delivered to higher altitude areas, ensuring assured irrigation to dry and rain-fed lands of the Kandi region.
The project will provide irrigation facilities to nearly 11,500 acres of land across 33 villages, paving the way for enhanced agricultural productivity and increased farmer income. The initiative will transform the agrarian landscape of the region by enabling farmers to cultivate better crops and improve land value.
Addressing the gathering after the inauguration, Cabinet minister Barinder Kumar Goyal stated, “The Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme will serve as a milestone in extending irrigation to areas that remained deprived due to elevation challenges through the Kandi Canal and Bist Doab systems. The project will significantly reduce dependence on groundwater and bring long-term benefits to the region.”
Providing details of the project, he added that it is being executed in three phases. “The first phase covering 4,000 acres in 13 villages has already been completed in February 2026 at a cost of ₹67 crore. The second phase, costing ₹107 crore, will cover 5,500 acres in 14 villages and is expected to be completed by September 2026, while the third phase with an outlay of ₹40 crore will extend irrigation to 2,000 acres in 6 villages. A 650 kW solar plant has also been installed to minimise electricity burden,” he shared.
Highlighting the technical aspects, Barinder Kumar Goyal said that the scheme has been connected to the Bist Doab Canal with a discharge capacity of 67 cusecs and water will be lifted through pumps and supplied via an extensive pipeline network to high, low and semi-hilly agricultural fields. He added that no land acquisition was required as existing departmental land was utilised for the pump house.
Emphasising the significance of the project, the minister further said, “Due to deep groundwater levels and failure of tube wells, farmers in the Kandi area were heavily dependent on rainfall, which limited crop diversification and productivity. Being a semi-hilly terrain, conventional canal systems were not feasible earlier, which also kept land prices low. Advanced satellite and drone surveys were conducted and technical staff were trained at IIT Roorkee and IIT Ropar to design the project, which was executed in a mission mode within six months.”
“Before this project, irrigation was available in 28,205 acres across 72 villages in Balachaur constituency. With the completion of this scheme, irrigation coverage will expand to 39,705 acres across 105 villages. Around 94,000 kilometres of pipelines have been laid to ensure water reaches the fields efficiently,” he added.
Reiterating the commitment of the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government, Barinder Kumar Goyal said that the state has spent ₹6,700 crore so far to strengthen irrigation infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted canal water supply. “While only 22 percent water was earlier used for irrigation, the Mann government has increased its utilisation to 78 percent. Strengthening of canals has contributed to improvement in groundwater levels, reduction in electricity consumption and enhancement in soil fertility,” he stated.
Sharing details about the Kandi Canal, the minister said that it originates from Talwara and extends up to Balachaur with a total length of 129.035 km and discharge capacity of 463 cusecs. Despite being initiated in 1980, water had not reached tail-end areas earlier. The AAP government ensured continuous water flow, restored 1,500 km of old pipelines, laid 300 km of new pipelines and relined 120 km of canals and watercourses, thereby benefiting 1,28,740 acres of land across 12 blocks after three decades.
Highlighting welfare initiatives, Barinder Kumar Goyal added, “The Bhagwant Mann government is providing free quality healthcare with insurance cover up to ₹10 lakh and 600 units of free electricity to households. All guarantees made to the people are being fulfilled without discrimination.”
Prominent among others present on the occasion included MLA from Banga Dr. Sukhwinder Sukhi, MLA Balachaur Santosh Kataria, Deputy Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Balbir Raj Singh and several other dignitaries.
