Pb demands Rs.350 Cr from Center for Sakki Nullah rehabilitation

Chandigarh, September 23, 2012: The Punjab Government has sought Rs.350 crore from union government for the de-silting, relining and rehabilitation of 152 km long Sakki Nullah running from Amritsar to Gurdaspur.

The state government has urged the center to approve this project and release the grant earliest so that work could be initiated on this multi-dimensional project.

This was disclosed by Sohan Singh Thandal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Irrigation in a press communiqué.

Thandal said that this Sakki Nullah, which starts from Swailpur village near Dinanagar and goes up to Lodhi Gujjar village in Rajasansi, creates much trouble during the rainy season.

He said that more than 76,000 acres of land get submerged every year, besides affecting the lives of more than 1.25 lakh people of more than 500 villages.

He added that considering this problem, the state government has chalked out a project of Rs.350 crore, which has been sent to the center government for its approval.

He said that the Punjab Government in this financial year has incurred Rs.511 crore out of total sanctioned amount of Rs.1200 crore for the strengthening of rivers’ embankment. He further said that Rs.416 crore has been spent for the cleanliness and de-silting of rivulets and minors.

Thandal said that the state government has chalked out a multi-dimensional approach plan for improving the irrigation facilities in the Kandi, Bet and Border areas of the state. He said that the Punjab Government has recently reconstituted the advisory councils of these areas under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

He said that the local MLAs have been asked to monitor the ongoing irrigation development projects and to ensure the timely completion. He said that the Irrigation Department had provided sufficient canal water to the farmers to irrigate their fields despite deficit rain