Urging the Union Minister for Water Resources (MoWR) Ms. Uma Bharti, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today sought early clearance of various irrigation projects pending with the Ministry at different stages worth Rs. 2943.46 crore including the re-lining of Rajasthan and Sirhind feeders at a cost of Rs. 2125.69 crore.Badal called on the Union Water Resources Minister here in her office here at Shram Shakti Bhawan on Wednesday evening.Pleading for the expeditious clearance of various irrigation projects awaiting Ministry’s nod, Mr. Badal also posed a project of Swan River Flood Management worth Rs. 284.98 crore besides seeking funds to the tune of Rs. 161.04 crore for the execution of flood protection project under river management activities and water related to border areas. He also sought approval for the channelization of River Ghaggar by the Ghaggar Standing Committee involving a cost of Rs. 135.63 crore.
Likewise, the Chief Minister also asked the Ministry to immediately release the funds to the tune of Rs. 46.12 crore for carrying out flood protection works along River Beas under Flood Management Project. He also impressed upon Ms. Uma Bharti to give her nod to the project of channelization of Sakki/Kiran Nallah involving a cost of Rs. 190 crore so as to save the life and property of the people residing in border areas from the havoc caused during the floods in the rainy season.
The Chief Minister also asked the Ministry for relaxation in the existing conditions and guidelines issued by GoI which stipulated a cost ceiling of Rs. 835 per meter limited to 30 meter per hectare for construction of field channels under the Command Area Development Program (CADP). These conditions should be relaxed to encompass the actual expenditure as the said cost norms did not cover the expenses under CADP adding Mr. Badal emphasized the need to immediately enhance the cost norms fixed under this scheme from Rs. 25,050 to Rs. 40,000 per hectare for field channels in order to cover the entire complete command area under the project.
Responding positively to the issues raised by Mr. Badal in the meeting, Union Water Resources Minister assured that she would get the entire matter thoroughly examined by her Ministry before taking a final decision. She assured Mr. Badal that the requisite funds demanded by the state government under various projects and proposals pending with Ministry would be released shortly and also promised to get the current guidelines under CADP reviewed meticulously for relaxing these norms.The Chief Minister was accompanied Member Parliament from Sri Anandpur Sahib Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Special Principal Secretary to CM Mr. KJS Cheema and Secretary Irrigation Mr. KS Pannu.