Distributaries to get a facelift: Sukhbir

The Punjab government has planned to give a facelift to all the distributaries running through the state to boost irrigation.
Making this announcement, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that after completion of irrigation projects worth Rs 164 crore in Malwa cotton belt, all the distributaries will be renovated for irrigating 2.80 lakh acres of land.
Badal said the relining and rehabilitation of canals and distributaries in Bathinda, Mansa and Sangrur districts will boost farming of cotton and other cash crops.
He said the construction on these projects has been initiated and the renovation of channels Teona, Jodhpur Pakhar, Joga and Behman distributaries, Kotla Branch, Saidewala Branch, Mandi and Bhunder Minors, Dhanola and Barnala distributaries would be completed within two months.

To a query, Badal said waterlogging was a major problem for farmers in Malwa belt, and the Punjab government has chalked out an extensive plan and a proposal of Rs 3,200 crore has already been sent to the Centre.