Varinder Goel inaugurates Rs 26 crore canal water projects in Ghanaur

Spread the news

Patiala, July 29

Punjab Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Varinder Goel inaugurated canal water projects worth Rs 26 crore in Kole Majra village of the Ghanaur constituency, saying the initiatives would improve irrigation facilities, conserve groundwater and provide long-term benefits to farmers.

Addressing the gathering, Goel said Punjab had earlier relied heavily on lakhs of tube wells to extract groundwater, resulting in the water table declining by 10 to 15 feet annually. However, he said the supply of canal water to agricultural fields over the past two years had led to an improvement in groundwater levels for the first time.

He added that daytime electricity supply for farmers had reduced the need to work in fields at night, making farming safer and more convenient. Referring to the growing demand for electricity, the minister said the state government had even acquired thermal power plants and was making every effort to ensure an uninterrupted power supply.

Speaking about flood protection, Goel said the Ghaggar river did not breach anywhere in Punjab despite heavy rainfall last year. He said embankments in the Ghanaur constituency had been strengthened at a cost of Rs 13 crore, while another project from Khanouri to Makraur Sahib was completed at an estimated cost of around Rs 10 crore. Across Punjab, nearly Rs 650 crore had been spent on flood protection measures, he added.

The minister said the government’s primary objective was to conserve Punjab’s water resources, strengthen the farming community, and safeguard the state against floods through sustained investment in irrigation and flood-management infrastructure.

Ghanaur MLA Gurlal Ghanaur thanked the Punjab Government for approving the projects, saying they would benefit many farmers in the constituency. He said canal water would reach agricultural fields through a lift irrigation system and added that a memorandum seeking additional irrigation projects had also been submitted to Minister Varinder Goel.