Punjab govt okays rehabilitation project of Bist Doab Canal

The Doaba region of Punjab is all set to get a boost with the Punjab government giving his nod to the Rs 211 crore rehabilitation project of Bist Doab Canal.
In a high level meeting today, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the SAD-BJP combine government was fully committed to rejuvenate the canal system and increase its irrigation capacity to cater to the rising demand of water for new cropping pattern, an official spokesperson said here.
When completed, Bist Doab Canal rehabilitation project would result in six-fold increase in the irrigation potential of the canal system from its present capacity of 30,364 hectares to 1,72,981 hectares, he said.

Badal regretted that despite repeated pleas of the state government, the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre has failed to address the need of Rs 3,000 crore to rejuvenate the total canal system.
The 811 km long Bist Doab Canal System has not been relined since its construction in 1954-55, Badal added.