Punjab govt to spend Rs 120 Cr for harvesting rainwater

Punjab government today said it has earmarked Rs 120 Crore on the development of Underground Pipeline System (UGPS), seeking to harvest rainwater to solve various water problems in the state.
Punjab's Agriculture Minister Tota Singh said in a statement today that "the funds will be used this fiscal for the project which will harvest rainwater through an UGPS, and that has been used as an alternative for efficient use water resources by developed countries."
"Rs 120 crore will be pumped into development of Underground pipeline system for optimal harvesting of water resources for irrigation in the state," he said.
"The problems of ground water depletion in central Punjab, scarce water resources in the northern sub-mountainous belt and brackish groundwater in the south-western part of the state can be very well addressed through use of UGPS systems," he added.

These systems, he said adding, not only save water but also help in improving yield and quality of farm produce.
This was a development project to be implemented by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab aimed at judicious use of available irrigation water from surface and subsurface water resources.