Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Canal water usage in Punjab rises to 84%, target set to 100 % coverage: Minister Tarunpreet Sond
Village ponds to be cleaned before Monsoon season - Minister
Babushahi Bureau
Raikot/Ludhiana, April 4, 2025: Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond on Friday stated that canal water usage for irrigation in the state has increased significantly, rising from 68% to 84% with the Punjab government is actively working to restore abandoned watercourses and encourage farmers to shift from groundwater to canal water.
Speaking at the installation ceremony of Gurminder Singh Toor as Chairman of the Raikot Market Committee, alongside MLA Hakam Singh Thekedar, Sond emphasized the government's efforts to improve irrigation efficiency.He noted that previously, only 68% of dam water was utilized for irrigation, with the remaining 32% going to waste.
However, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's leadership, the government has taken decisive steps to revitalize the state's aging irrigation infrastructure.
These efforts have boosted canal water usage to 84%, with the target of achieving 100% utilization in the near future. He mentioned that this initiative will further reduce the reliance on tubewells and electricity.
Additionally, Sond also announced that all village ponds in Punjab will be cleaned before the onset of the monsoon. This process will include emptying the ponds and de-silting them. The banks of the ponds will be tapered, and grass will also be planted.
Earlier, Cabinet Minister Sond and MLA Hakam Singh Thekedar seated Toor and congratulated him. They expressed confidence that Toor with his dedication and strategic approach, would accelerate the development initiatives.Toor also expressed his gratitude to the government for entrusting him with this responsibility. He assured them that he would carry out his duties with sincerity.
In thanking the minister and MLA present, he reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that all operations of the Raikot Market Committee would be carried out with transparency and efficiency.