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CHANDIGARH; 23rd October 2026 (WISHAVWARTA);- Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday said that his government’s canal irrigation drive is transforming the Punjab’s agricultural landscape, boosting paddy productivity and reversing groundwater depletion, with the groundwater table rising by four metres. Calling canal water “desi ghee for Punjab’s crops,” he said that 18,000 cusecs of water was now reaching agricultural fields, supported by 14,000 kilometres of underground pipelines, with another 6,000 kilometres planned to extend the network. He said that the government’s mission was to bring canal water to every field, protect precious groundwater reserves and secure the future of Punjab’s farmers.
Taking to X, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated: “Discussed key issues concerning the protection of Punjab’s farming community and democracy during the 13th Session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Our efforts to ensure canal water reaches agricultural fields have yielded significant results. By laying 14,000 kilometres of pipelines, we have conserved groundwater. With mineral-rich canal water reaching the fields, paddy yield this season has reached nearly 90 maunds per acre. At the same time, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has taken the lead in the country by introducing a significant resolution against anti-democratic and oppressive laws, an issue that has not yet been raised in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. Punjab has always stood firm against oppression, and the AAP government will continue to raise its voice in the interests of the people. Inquilab Zindabad.”
Participating in a discussion in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that providing canal water to farmers is not merely an irrigation initiative; it is a decisive step towards protecting Punjab’s agricultural future, conserving our precious natural resources and safeguarding the interests of generations to come. “Canal-water utilisation had increased from 22% in 2022 to over 80% today, with approximately 14,000 kilometres of pipelines laid to carry canal water to agricultural fields,” he said.
The Chief Minister pointed out, “Canal water is like desi ghee for Punjab’s crops. When our farmers receive adequate canal water, their dependence on groundwater declines, agricultural productivity improves and farming becomes more sustainable. Our objective is to ensure that farmers get water where and when they need it, instead of being compelled to depend entirely on borewells.”
He noted, “For decades, our farmers have been forced to dig deeper borewells to irrigate their crops as groundwater levels continued to decline. Our farmers have worked tirelessly to feed the nation, but the burden of saving their crops has increasingly fallen on our underground water reserves. We cannot allow a situation in which our farmers struggle for water while the future of our coming generations is put at risk.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Our sustained efforts have increased canal-water utilisation from 22% in 2022 to over 80% today. In some areas, canal water has reached villages where people had not seen it flowing through their fields for nearly 80 years. This is not just a change in the irrigation system; it is a change in the lives of our hardworking and resilient farmers.”
The Chief Minister highlighted, “According to a Union Government report, Punjab’s groundwater table has risen by four metres as a result of our efforts to expand canal irrigation. Reports from villages where canal-water distribution pipelines have been laid are also encouraging, with farmers reporting improvements in groundwater levels. These developments reinforce our resolve to expand canal irrigation and reduce excessive groundwater extraction.”
“Around 18,000 cusecs of canal water is reaching agricultural fields, demonstrating the scale of our efforts to strengthen irrigation facilities. Farmers in areas that have long struggled with inadequate irrigation are now receiving relief, while areas previously classified as dark zones because of excessive groundwater extraction are showing encouraging signs of recovery,” he added.
He emphasised the need to document and verify crop-wise productivity figures to assess the full impact of improved irrigation. He said that reports of increased paddy productivity in areas receiving canal water underlined the importance of systematically evaluating the benefits of the initiative.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “We have already laid approximately 14,000 kilometres of pipelines to strengthen water distribution and take canal water to agricultural fields. The cumulative length of these pipelines reflects the enormous scale of the infrastructure created to benefit our farmers. We will lay another 6,000 kilometres of pipelines to extend the irrigation network and bring more agricultural land under canal-water coverage.”
He said that the expansion would particularly benefit farmers in areas that had remained deprived of adequate canal-water supplies for decades.
The Chief Minister affirmed, “Every drop of groundwater saved today is an investment in the future of our farmers and our children. We want our farmers to have reliable access to irrigation without being forced to chase water deeper and deeper underground. Our mission is clear: every field in Punjab should have access to canal water, and we will continue working towards 100% utilisation of available canal water.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that his government would continue strengthening the canal network, expanding pipeline-based distribution and promoting judicious water use to ensure that Punjab’s agriculture remained productive without exhausting its natural resources. “This will help us restore our groundwater reserves and ensure that Punjab continues to lead the country in feeding the nation while protecting the water that sustains our agriculture,” he added.
