Despite clearance, Centre yet to release funds for Phina Singh Canal project

Six months have passed since the Union Minister for Water Resources granted investment clearance for the Phina Singh Canal, a significant irrigation project in Kangra district. However, the Jal Shakti Department, responsible for implementing the project, has yet to receive the funds from the Union Government.

The irrigation initiative, which could have alleviated the impact of the year’s below-average rainfall on farmers in the Nurpur area of Kangra, is facing delays due to the Union Government’s failure to release the necessary funds. The project has been stalled for over a decade due to funding issues. The state government has already contributed its 50 per cent share, while the remaining 50 per cent is has yet to be released by the Union Ministry for Water Resources.

In July last year, the Union Ministry for Water Resources provided investment clearance for the Phina Singh Canal project, amounting to Rs 643 crore. Initially, the project was estimated to cost Rs 204 crore, but the costs have already risen to Rs 283.32 crore, with the project’s progress standing at just 53 per cent, reflecting a significant cost escalation.

Deepak Garg, the Chief Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department, said the project could not start until the funds are released by the Union Government. Work on the project will begin immediately upon receipt of the necessary funds, he added.

The project, which was conceived over ten years ago, aims to interlink Kalam Nallah and Chaki River — two tributaries of the Beas river flowing through Nurpur. It also involves constructing a concrete gravity dam across the Chaki river. Water from the dam is to be transported through a 4,307-m tunnel to irrigate 4,025 hectares across 60 villages in Nurpur.

A revised detailed project report (DPR) has been submitted to the Centre, which includes provisions for the construction of a 1.88 MW hydroelectric project along with the canal. The updated plan also proposes utilising the reservoir created by the Phina Singh Canal project for transportation purposes.