The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved assistance of Rs 825 crore for re-lining of Sirhind and Rajasthan feeder canal over five years till 2022-23.
The approved cost of re-lining of Sirhind feeder canal is Rs 671.47 crore and that of re-lining of Rajasthan feeder canal is Rs 1,305.267 crore. Out of this, the union government will give assistance of Rs 205 crore for Sirhind feeder and Rs 620 crore for Rajasthan feeder.
Re-lining of canal is done to increase the efficiency of canal irrigation through concretisation of canal boundary which prevents seepage.
The re-lining will address the problem of waterlogging in Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozpur districts in south-west Punjab and will help improve irrigation in Rajasthan, the government said in a statement.
"Sirhind and Rajasthan feeders take off upstream of Harike Head works and flow through Punjab before crossing over to Rajasthan. The twin canals have a common bank and were constructed in the 1960s as lined (brick) channels to convey water to command areas in Punjab and Rajasthan.
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"The Punjab government has reported considerable seepage loss due to damages in the lining of both Sirhind and Rajasthan feeders. As a result, apart from reduced flows in these canals, the adjacent areas have been affected by waterlogging causing huge agricultural losses," the statement read.
--IANS
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