Punjab executes major irrigation project in rainfed semi-hilly terrain

Chandigarh, March 19 (IANS) Punjab Water Resources and Soil and Water Conservation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Thursday said the government has achieved a major breakthrough in the long-neglected Kandi belt, by commissioning a major project to initially irrigate 4,000 acres of rainfed semi-hilly terrain, turning it into cultivable land. 

With the Rs 214 crore Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme bringing canal water to higher altitudes for the first time, Goyal emphasised the 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, Goyal inaugurated the scheme developed at a cost of Rs 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 pave the way for enhanced agricultural productivity and increased farmer income. It will transform the agrarian landscape of the region by enabling farmers to cultivate better crops and improve land value, an official statement said. 

Addressing the gathering after the inauguration, the minister said: "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 said 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 Rs 67 crore. The second phase, costing Rs 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 Rs 40 crore, will extend irrigation to 2,000 acres in six villages. A 650 KW solar plant has also been installed to minimise the electricity burden." 

Highlighting the technical aspects, Goyal said 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. 

Emphasising the significance of the project, the minister said: "Due to deep groundwater levels and failure of tubewells, 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 the Balachaur constituency. With the completion of this scheme, irrigation coverage will expand to 39,705 acres across 105 villages. Around 94,000 km of pipelines have been laid to ensure water reaches the fields efficiently,” he added.