Jalandhar, October 9
Punjab’s rapidly deteriorating 14,500 km-long canal system will pose serious threat to country’s food security. Punjab government has informed the 13th Finance Commission in this regard.

The Finance Commission, that will visit the state after going through various issue- based submissions made to it by the state government, has been told “the most important factor contributing to the stagnation and deterioration of the system is lack of funds due to constraint of resources with the state government”.

After hearing the various states, recommendations are made by the Finance Commission to the Union government for routine and special funds to meet some specific needs of the state government concerned keeping national perspective in view.

The state government has sought Rs 14,000 crore from the commission for widening, deepening, strengthening and expanding the existing infrastructure with latest technology to keep the canal system intact in Punjab, a lifeline of country’s food security for four decades. Century-old canal system and other water resources infrastructure are worth Rs 50,000 crore in the state.

The commission has been told Punjab needed 50 MAF (million acre feet) water to meet irrigation and drinking water requirement. However, only 14.22 MAF water has been allocated to it from 34.34 MAF eastern river waters, the quantum of which was assessed on the basis of 1921-60 flow series.

In absence of availability of adequate water from various rivers, Punjab’s farmers have been pumping out 28 MAF ground water with 12,32,000 tube wells in the state to meet water requirements. Contrary to the common perception that Punjab has adequate canal water, it is just 30 per cent of the water needed for irrigation in the state.

For strengthening and renovating existing canal system, Punjab has sought Rs 4189 crore. For creating new infrastructure such as Shahpur Kandi project, Sri Dashmesh Irrigation project, construction of new escapes and low dams in Kandi area, lining of canals, Kandi canal stage-II, lining of water courses, Punjab has sought Rs 9715 crore from the commission. Punjab wanted the money should be given in form of grant-in-aid and not loan etc.

Highlighting the problem of waterlogging, caused by seepage from Rajasthan feeder and Sirhind feeder, Punjab has told the commission that out of 2,63,929 hectares , 84800 hectares in Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozepur districts are critically waterlogged. Stagnation of water in the affected areas has rendered it unfit for cultivation. Though the state government has taken measures to tackle waterlogging, the Central Ground Water Board has suggested construction of surface drains, to make shallow tube wells fully functional, laser levelling of fields and re-lining of Rajasthan and Sirhind feeders besides other measures for which Rs 1,600 crore is required.

As Punjab is facing serious problem of declining ground water table owing to its over exploitation, the Central Ground Water Board has recommended extensive harvesting of rainwater.