REHABILITATION OF 22 RIVULETS: Rs.90- Cr. released

Chandigarh, November 21, 2012: The Punjab Government has approved the complete rehabilitation project of 22 rivulets worth Rs.130 crore and released first installment of Rs.90 crore for this purpose.

This was disclosed by Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Irrigation Minister, Punjab in a high level meeting to review the progress of ongoing irrigation projects in the state, here today.

He said that the irrigation department is going to initiate some of the major projects, which included Shahpur Kandi Baraj, Rajasthan and Sirhind feeder relining, Banur canal project and completion of Kandi canal phase-2 project. During the meeting, Sekhon said that minutely supervised the progress on various ongoing irrigation projects in the state.

He instructed the officer to complete all the projects within stipulated time period.

He further said that the projects of Rajasthan and Sirhind feeder relining was being started shortly.

He said that that estimated cost on this project would be Rs.1500 crore and the project would be completed within four years.

Also, he said that the state government has received complete rehabilitation proposals of 25 rivulets, out of which, the government has approved rehabilitation of 22 rivulets. He said that the government has already released Rs.90 crore for this purpose and these projects would be completed till March 31, 2013.

He said that with the completion of these projects 3287 hectare additional area would come under the irrigation, besides improving the canal irrigation facilities upon an area of 61,571 hectare in the state. He said that the Kandi canal phase-2 project would be completed till March 2014.

Sekhon announced that in Kandi area a new 'Nara Dam' would be built with the cost of Rs.37 crore and the work of this project would be started shortly.

The minister further said that the work on Banur canal project worth Rs.87 crore would be initiated in December this year, which would be completed within one year bringing 3401 additional hectare area under irrigation. He said that to check the menace of water-logging in the regions of Sri Muktsar Sahib, Ferozpur and Fazilka, works are continued with the cost of Rs.50 crore.

 Sekhon added that the bilateral hurdles pertaining to the Sharpur Kandi project would be resolved shortly in the Chief Secretary level meeting with J&K government in ten days.

In this meeting, Sekhon also reviewed the progress of the HP-2 and Irrigation and Power Research Institute besides supervising the work of Vigilance Department.

Sekhon instructed the officers to ensure that nowhere in the state, government property is not being encroached by the land grabber.

Prominent amongst other, who were present in the review meeting included Sohan Singh Thandal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Irrigation, K.B.S Sidhu, Principal Secretary and other Chief and Superintending Engineers of the department.