Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday sought early clearance of Shahpur-Kandi dam project and requested to put this project in fast track priority projects maintaining 90:10 ratio.
Capt Amarinder Singh raised the issue during his meeting with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari saying that early sanction and completion of Shahpur-Kandi dam was imperative for the agriculture state of Punjab.
He said that that with declining ground water level in most of the districts of Punjab, Union Government has to take initiative to maintain the irrigation potential of the feeding bowl of the country so that agricultural productivity could pace with the rising population of the country.
Also seeking the early clearance of the lining project of Sirhind feeder and Rajasthan feeder canal, Capt Amarinder apprised Gadkari that he had already requested the PMO to bring both canals in priority list to enable central funding under PMKSY.
Accompanied by Revenue Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Public Works Minister Vijay Inder Singla, Capt Amarinder observed that due to absence of lining, Malwa region was facing acute problem of water-logging besides water was not reaching at the tail end. He said it was out national duty to check the seepage of precious water and to ensure 100 percent canal irrigation especially to farmers at tail-end.
Urging the Centre to initiate measures to sanction funds at the earliest, Capt Amarinder suggested to include these two projects into the national scheme of PMKSY.
Emphasising the necessity for early resumption of Shahpur Kandi Dam project, Chief Minister urged the Centre to ask the Jammu and Kashmir Government to adhere to the March 31, 2017, agreement with the approved 90:10 norms instead of 60:40 as was now proposed.
Resumption of work was under consideration of the Punjab Government, he said while seeking approval of revised cost estimate of Rs 2,738 crores for the project.
With the acceptance of above proposals by the Union Ministry of WR, RD and GR, the water going down stream of Madhopur Head Works to Pakistan shall be stopped, Capt Amarinder pointed out.
In the meeting, he also sought inclusion of 13 road projects across the state in Bharat Mala Pariyojna besides declaration of seven new road projects as National Highways. Union Minister's intervention in the matter was necessary to facilitate better connectivity and smooth commute for the people of Punjab.
Capt Amarinder also flagged the issue of connectivity of industrial city of Mandi Gobindgarh with economic corridor, at the cost of Rs 800 crores.
The Chief Minister also urged the Union Minister to take up Delhi-Katra expressway via Amritsar as a greenfield project for which consent for alignment has already been given by the State.
The Chief Minister suggested that direct connectivity can be provided near Sangrur through a feeder route via Amloh-Babarpur-Chhintanwala-Balwan.