Face2News/Sri Muktsar Sahib  

The visionary decision of the state government led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to construct ‘Malwa Canal’ in the state will help in irrigating around two lakh acres of land thereby ushering an era of unprecedented development and progress in the state.

The Malwa Canal, the ongoing work of which was checked by the Chief Minister during his visit in the district, is proposed to off take from Harike Headworks and runs along the left side of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal from its Headwork to near village Warring Khera partly in the existing land of Rajasthan government acquired for construction of Rajasthan Feeder. It will provide additional water resources to the left side of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal, which cannot be supplied effectively by Sirhind Feeder Canal. The Proposed discharge of this 149.53 kilometre long canal is 2000 cusecs and will be constructed at a cost of Rs 2300 crore. 

This move assumes significance as during the Khariff season, due to high demand Ferozepur Feeder is not able to carter to the entire demand of Punjab state and as a result supply in Sirhind Feeder is affected. The situation becomes so severe that Punjab has to run its canals on rotation. There are 302 lift pumps operating in between RD 7100 to 430080 of SF, which irrigate the area on the left side of the Rajasthan Feeder which was originally irrigated by the Sirhind Canal system (Abohar Branch Upper and Bathinda branch)being fed from Ropar Head Works .

However Instead of improving supply of water at tail portion of Sirhind Canal system, the then government took the decision to supply water to this area from Sirhind Feeder through Lift pumps. Thus, there is a shortage of water for the canal system of Abohar and Fazilka. As a long term measure to improve irrigation facility in the area, the present government has taken the decision to construct another canal namely Malwa Canal parallel to Twin Canals. Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder. Thus more water will be available for Abohar Area from Sirhind Feeder. After construction of this canal the both the areas of Muktsar, giddebaha, bathinda, Zira as well as areas of Abohar, Ferozpur and Fazilak will get their rightfull share of water.