DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Water Resources Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal, on Friday, said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is rationalizing canal water distribution to ensure water reaches tail-end areas and districts receiving less canal water.

The Cabinet Minister said, Mann government has increased water allowance (canal water allocation per thousand acres) by 50 percent from two cusecs to three cusecs in many districts to ensure that areas with higher groundwater extraction receive canal water on a priority.

Responding to a question of Dharamkot MLA S. Davinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose regarding providing canal water and constructing water-courses in his constituency, the Cabinet Minister said that water allowance in many districts is 6 to 8 cusecs, while in districts like Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala and Mansa, it is only two cusecs. As a result, groundwater is being extracted in larger quantities in these districts. He said that work is being done on a priority in districts with higher water extraction to save groundwater. Funds are being allocated on priority considering the greater need for water-courses in such districts. He stated that our government is ensuring rational distribution of water allowance.

In response to MLA Dhose's question, the Cabinet Minister informed that Dharamkot constituency has a total of eight canals, of which work on six canals has been completed at a cost of Rs.5830.63 lacs, providing water to 70,000 acres of land. In Dharamkot constituency, 14 kilometers of new water-courses were constructed at a cost of Rs 2.80 crores. He mentioned that a total of Rs.17,000 crore is required for water-courses across the state and funds will be provided to Dharamkot constituency according to the ratio. The Cabinet Minister stated that in the last two years, work on 6 important projects costing Rs.58.30 crore has been completed to ensure canal water up till fields in Dharamkot constituency.

(editor@dailyworld.in)