CM, Jakhar submit Rs 3,327.57 cr plan to tackle waterlogging
Saturday, 05/10/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131005/punjab.htm#1
New Delhi : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Sunil Jakhar today jointly submitted an integrated plan of Rs 3327.57 crore to the Planning Commission for effectively addressing problems related to reduced sub-soil water level and for preventing flooding in the water-logged areas of South-West Punjab.
A high-level team of the Planning Commission, led by its Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, interacted with a state committee on the issue of waterlogging in South-West Punjab at Yojana Bhawan here this evening.
Badal said that the vexed issue could not be sorted out without Centre’s assistance and cooperation.
“The serious problem of water-logging should be declared a national project, to be efficaciously tackled through central funding under the National Special Area Programme,” Badal said.
He told the Planning Commission team that people living in the affected area were facing not only economic hardship but also several social problems, which could lead to social unrest and upheaval.
Badal called for concerted efforts to address the problem in a “result-oriented” manner and rescue the area from losing its potential of being the country’s ‘food and fruit basket’.
He gave an account of the unprecedented devastation caused by the week-long downpour (August 14 to August 19) in Muktsar, Fazilka, Faridkot and Ferozepur districts.
He said as per the government estimate, standing crops over an area of 3.14 lakh acres had been damaged and 10,622 houses had suffered irreparable damage. Relief work estimated at Rs 233 crore had been carried out in the area.
The Chief Minister said: “The natural tragedy caused by the excessive rains has caused unparalleled destruction and waterlogging, due to which the economy of the region has been ruined, thereby giving a fatal blow to the economy of the state.”
The break-up
Rs 2,053.16 crore for revamping drainage system and building new drains
Rs 325 crore for crop diversification
Rs 295 crore for setting up of industries which will use saline water
Rs 200 crore for improving soil
Rs 200 crore for enhancing the use of drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation
Rs 104.20 crore for dairy development in waterlogged areas
Rs 53.31 crore for training programmes
Rs 28.10 crore for cross-drainage works on roads
Rs 27.60 crore for emptying ponds into nearby drains
Rs 26.56 crore for fish farming
Rs 12.57 crore for bio-drainage project
Rs 1.10 crore for cross-drainage works on canals
Rs 80 lakh for cross-drainage works on railway lines
