Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann recently visited Doda village in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment to inspect the proposed site for the Malwa canal. This canal project is anticipated to be a significant development for the region, marking the first canal to be constructed in Punjab since India's Independence.
The proposed Malwa canal will span 149 kilometres, with a width of 50 feet and a depth of 12.5 feet. It is designed to have a capacity of 2,000 cusecs, enabling it to irrigate around 2 lakh acres of land. This project is expected to benefit 62 villages across the Muktsar, Fazilka, and Ferozepur districts.
The canal will originate from the Harike barrage and will be built on the unutilized land of Rajasthan, located on the left side of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal. The construction will require 1,328 acres of land, approximately half of which will be acquired from farmers.
During his visit, Mann inspected the proposed canal site and the water lifting pumps installed by farmers along the Sirhind Feeder canal. He expressed surprise that previous governments had not initiated this much-needed project.
He mentioned his long-standing awareness of the farmers' struggles, noting that he used to hear about their water shortage issues during his visits to the area as an artist, before he entered politics.
Mann stated that the construction of the Malwa canal will begin immediately and is expected to be completed within six to eight months. This development aims to eliminate the need for farmers to use water lifting pumps and burn diesel to irrigate their fields.
He questioned Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a Member of Parliament, about her contributions during her tenure as a minister in the Modi government, particularly in relation to Punjab's water issues.
The Chief Minister also hinted at upcoming actions involving Sukhvilas, a property owned by the Badal family, suggesting that he has obtained relevant documents.
In addition to the canal project, the visit was marked by the detention of Anganwadi workers. Led by their union leader and president of Istri Akali Dal, Hargobind Kaur, they were detained at the Kotbhai police station.
These workers were seeking to meet the Chief Minister to discuss the alleged substandard food being provided to children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers through Anganwadi centres. They raised slogans against the government, expressing their concerns and demands.
This canal project, if successfully implemented, is expected to bring significant agricultural benefits to the region, addressing long-standing water scarcity issues faced by farmers.
The Chief Minister's commitment to this project underscores the government's focus on improving agricultural infrastructure and supporting the farming community in Punjab.
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