Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann inaugurates rebuilt Ferozepur canal stretch

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday inaugurated the reconstructed 15-km stretch of the Ferozepur Feeder Canal, calling it a gift to farmers and a decisive step towards securing Punjab’s future.

While declaring the canal as the “lifeline” of the Malwa region, the CM said the project would improve irrigation capacity, proving to be a boon for farmers belonging to Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Fazilka districts.

According to information, the project costs Rs 180 crore. It will increase the canal’s capacity from 11,192 cusecs to 13,873 cusecs. Mann said when he assumed office, the canal water reached only 21 per cent of the Punjab fields, whereas it was being supplied to 68 per cent of the fields today.

Reiterating that Punjab had no surplus water to share, Mann said interests of the state were supreme and not even a single drop of state’s share of water would flow to other states.

He accused previous Congress and SAD-BJP governments of betraying Punjab by “signing agreements” to divert riverwaters to other states. The CM congratulated the engineers, government officials and workers who completed 15 km of canal lining within 35 days.

He said 126 government employees and 4,000 workers were deployed for the project. “Even the depth of the canal has increased from 18 feet to 21 feet. The width of the canal has been increased from 163 feet to 180 feet,” said the CM.