GOVT DEPENDS ON CENTRE FOR CANAL REJUVENATION

CHANDIGARH Capt Amarinder Singh’s government in Punjab has major plans to strengthen the canal network, and has referred a proposal worth ₹4,128 crore to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for approval and funds.

This was one of the state budget announcements made by finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in the assembly on Tuesday.

The plans include flood protection work for ₹50 crore on the river Ravi and its tributaries along the India-Pakistan border to check erosion of farmland, village localities and defence installations. .

Besides this, to address waterlogging in the south-western districts of the state, a sum of ₹128 crore has been proposed in the budget and ₹100 crore for relining of the Rajasthan feeder.

A project for channelisation of Swan river was also approved by the CWC, the FM informed the House.

The government plans to set up a state-level groundwater authority.

For construction of field channels on the Kotla branch (phase 2), the fund outlay is ₹94.7 crore in the current financial year. For reconstruction of branches of Sirhind feeder canal in Muktsar, ₹55.3 crore is proposed in the budget; and ₹81.4 crore for system rehabilitation with concrete lining of the Bist Doab canal system.

In the power sector, ₹3,156.7 crore has been proposed on distribution and transmission companies.