Sond also announced that all village ponds in Punjab will be cleaned before the onset of the monsoon; this process will include emptying the ponds and de-silting them; the banks of the ponds will be tapered, and grass will also be planted
Rural development and panchayats minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond on Friday, stated that canal water usage for irrigation in the state has been increased significantly from 68% to 84%, with the Punjab government actively working to restore abandoned water courses and in encouraging farmers to shift from groundwater to canal water.
At the appointment of Gurminder Singh Toor as chairman of the Raikot Market Committee, Sond alongside MLA Hakam Singh Thekedar, emphasised the government’s efforts to improve irrigation efficiency. He noted that previously, only 68% of dam water was utilised for irrigation, with the remaining 32% going waste. However, the government has taken decisive steps to revitalise the state’s ageing irrigation infrastructure. These efforts have boosted canal water usage to 84%, with target of achieving 100% utilisation in the near future. He mentioned that this initiative will further reduce the reliance on tubewells and electricity.
Sond also announced that all village ponds in Punjab will be cleaned before the onset of the monsoon. This process will include emptying the ponds and de-silting them. The banks of the ponds will be tapered, and grass will also be planted.
Sond and Hakam Singh Thekedar congratulated Toor. They expressed confidence that Toor, with his dedication and strategic approach, would accelerate the development initiatives.
Toor also expressed his gratitude to the government for entrusting him with this responsibility. He assured them that he would carry out his duties with sincerity. In thanking the minister and MLA present, he reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that all operations of the Raikot Market Committee would be carried out with transparency and efficiency.
