Punjab expands canal irrigation coverage by 200 %; Water reached tail-end villages after decades: Barinder Kumar Goyal
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 9, 2026:In a major boost to Punjab’s irrigation infrastructure, canal water from the Ropar canal network has now reached several tail-end villages that had remained dependent on groundwater for decades.
Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the irrigated area under the Ropar Canal Network has increased from 29,488 acres to 85,447 acres during 2025-26. An additional 3,882 acres is also being brought under irrigation, taking the total coverage to 89,329 acres, marking an increase of nearly 200 percent.
The minister said that when the Aam Aadmi Party government came to power in 2022 under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, canal water usage in Punjab stood at only 26.5 percent.
To address the growing groundwater crisis, the government launched large-scale cleaning, repair, and revival of neglected canals, distributaries, and watercourses across the state.
According to the minister, the state has already achieved nearly 78 percent of its targeted canal irrigation coverage ahead of the paddy sowing season.
Villages including Rudka, Pandori, Jangpura, Dhatt, Dhaler Kalan, Nuthuheri, Mankheri, Sultanpur, Bhudan, Bhadrawan, Barundi, Rashin, Tungaheri, and Kanganwal in Ludhiana and Malerkotla regions have reportedly received canal water in agricultural fields after almost four decades.
Barinder Kumar Goyal said revival and expansion of lift irrigation schemes played a major role in the transformation. Infrastructure such as risers and storage tanks has been completed in villages including Samlah, Paharpur, Lakher, and Midhwan.
In the Sri Anandpur Sahib region, lift irrigation projects are expected to bring another 3,882 acres under irrigation.
The minister added that several lift irrigation systems lying defunct for more than a decade have now been restored through coordinated efforts between the government and farmers. Old pipelines, pumps, control panels, and pump houses were repaired or replaced to revive water supply systems.
As a result of these initiatives, around 1,539 additional acres in Nangal tehsil of Ropar district have been brought under irrigation.
The government said the project reflects a broader shift toward sustainable agriculture, reduced groundwater dependence, and improved farm productivity, while ensuring canal water reaches even the remotest farming regions of Punjab.