Chandigarh, June 8 (IANS) Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Monday inaugurated irrigation projects worth Rs 13 crore in the Amargarh Assembly constituency.

Addressing the gathering, the minister said these projects would bring canal water to more than 3,832 acres of agricultural land in the region for the first time.

He emphasised that the government is committed to strengthening irrigation infrastructure and reducing dependence on groundwater, adding that the objective is to ensure every drop of canal water reaches tail-end fields while safeguarding water resources.

The minister said previous governments only indulged in politics over water issues and failed to safeguard the state’s rightful share of water.

He added that the Mann government has taken concrete steps to strengthen the canal network, providing long-term, reliable irrigation facilities to farmers.

Giving details of the projects, the minister said a new Bhasaur Minor has been constructed from the Kotla Branch Canal, concretely lined at a cost of Rs 4.07 crore. This will restore the canal water supply to nine villages of Malerkotla and Sangrur districts after nearly 50–60 years.

He said a 7,640-metre underground pipeline is being laid from Bhasaur Minor at a cost of Rs 1.73 crore for Darogewal and Manakmajra villages, providing canal water to 1,006 acres of farmland for the first time.

Similarly, another 4,200-metre pipeline is being laid from Bhasaur Minor at a cost of Rs 1.03 crore for Rustamgarh, Sangali, Sangala, and Bhaini Kalan villages, which will benefit around 980 acres with canal irrigation after Independence.

At Dehleez Khurd village, the minister inaugurated irrigation works worth Rs 6.17 crore. He said that under these projects, a 20,149-metre modern pipeline is being laid from the Bathinda Branch at a cost of Rs 5.63 crore to provide canal water to the villages of Mehrna Khurd, Kanganpur, and Rasulpur, covering 1,486 acres.

–IANS

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