The Kandi and Sub-Mountain area of Punjab today got a major gift with Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal according his sanction for 280 new tube wells at the cost of Rs. 108 crore for that area, to tackle the perennial Irrigation water shortage problems in these pockets. Presiding over a meeting of irrigation department, Mr. Badal said that our government was fully committed to develop agriculture and encourage persification in the Kandi area to bring the development of this area at par with developed areas of the state. He said that he had got a comprehensive study done on irrigation requirement of the area and as per findings of that study 280 spots were identified, where there was an immediate requirement of digging deep tube wells. Brooking no delay, Mr. Badal instructed the Irrigation Department to immediate tender out digging of 280 tube wells and as per availability of digging rigs in the market, it was decided that 140 deep tube wells be handed over to farmer community by September 30 and remaining 140 would be operational by March 31st, 2014.
Approving relining of all minors in the state, Mr. Badal said that 65 years old minor irrigation network needs immediate revitalization to ensure water to the farmers at the tail ends. He said that since last sixty five years Union Government has not sanctioned a single penny for rehabilitation and maintenance of Canal network. Mr. Badal said that due to lack of maintenance of Canal network, the whole system has become silted and choked with weeds, reducing the capacity of canal less than 50%. Mr. Badal said that Punjab Chief Minister had been pleading the Union Government to sanction a special package for rehabilitation of 100 years old Canal system of the state as viability of this system directly proportionate to food security of the country but Union Government has not paid any heed to our repeated pleas.
Badal said that in future Irrigation Department while tendering these projects should make the construction agency accountable for maintaining that system for next 15 years. He asked the Secretary Irrigation to redraft the tender documents incorporating this clause, in which construction agency would conduct annual maintenance of the canal system, desilting besides deweeding the whole system. He said that tender should also incorporate the clause making construction agency accountable for ensuring supply of water at tail end of the system besides monitoring the usage of Canal Water at different points.The department was also asked to put up a comprehensive plan for total canal system.