Monitorable Targets For 11 - Punjab State Planning Board

BPL criteria have been received by the state. However the most important aspect for the state is
the cap on the BPL families. The percentage of people entitled for BPL status should be revised
upward as per the recommendations of the Expert Group chaired by Dr. N.C. Saxena
IRRIGATION
29. The canal Surface Water Distribution System consists of 14500 km of Canals/
Distributories comprising of six major systems in the State namely: Sirhind Canal system,
Bhakra Main Line, Bist Doab Canal, Upper Bari Doab Canal, Sirhind feeder and Eastern canal.
This canal system which is amongst the oldest in the country has out lived its life and its
carrying capacity has been sub - optimized overtime. The canals designed to cater to 70% of the
irrigation needs of the State, now have shrunk to a mere 27% and hence a stress on ground water
resources. At present, 97% of the arable land in the State is irrigated. During the 10 th Plan, about
107 thousand hectares of additional irrigation potential was created. During the 11 th Plan, about
286 thousand hectares of additional canal irrigation potential is proposed to be created, out of
which 105 thousand hectares has been brought under canal irrigation upto 31/3/2010. As
compared to the approved outlay of Rs 350 Cr for 2008-09, the expenditure incurred was Rs 419
Cr, the financial achievement comes to 120%. The outlay approved for the Annual Plan 2009-10
was Rs 546 Cr, the expenditure incurred was Rs. 477 crore, the irrigation potential created was
31.36 thousand hectares. The approved outlay for the Annual Plan 2010-11 is Rs 645 Cr, a 18%
jump from the previous year with which approximately 40 thousand hectares irrigation potential
shall be created.
30. Over the years the upkeep and maintenance of Canal System in Punjab has not
received adequate attention. Estimates indicate that on an average, the water discharge taken by
these systems is 20% less than the sanctioned level.
31. The work of Rehabilitation of 1 st Patiala Feeder and Kotla Branch at a cost of Rs
124 Cr has been initiated during 2007-08 to provide better irrigation facilities to the cotton belt
area of Patiala, Sangrur and Mansa districts. An expenditure of Rs 89 Cr was incurred during
2007-10 and work on 1 st Phase of Patiala Feeder has been completed and work on Kotla Branch
is in progress. Rs 40 Cr has been earmarked for this project during 2010-11.
32. Under the Flood Management Programme (FMP), the work of canalization of
Sakki/Kiran Nallah in Amritsar and Gurdaspur with approximate cost of Rs 118 Cr (75% Grant
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