Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Irrigation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Monday sought payment from Rajasthan for water supplied by Punjab for decades, stating that Rajasthan is not a riparian state of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers. He moved a resolution on the issue on the final day of the special session of the Punjab Assembly.
Goyal said Punjab had been supplying water to Rajasthan free of cost for decades, even as the state itself was facing a serious water crisis. He argued that Rajasthan was generating revenue from the water and demanded that its government pay Punjab for the supply. The resolution also urged the Centre to ensure that Rajasthan makes annual payments to Punjab for water supplied in the future.
Punjab Seeks Priority Completion of Ujh Multipurpose Project
The irrigation minister said water flowing into Pakistan through the Ravi River includes water from the Ujh, Tarnah and Basantar rivers, which originate in Jammu and Kashmir and merge with the Ravi downstream of Madhopur Headworks. He pointed out that Punjab lacks adequate infrastructure to store this water.
The resolution urged the Central Government to prioritise the completion of the Ujh Multipurpose Project so that the water could be diverted towards the Ranjit Sagar Dam and utilised for irrigation and other requirements in Punjab.
Goyal also asserted that Punjab has historical and legal rights over the waters of the Yamuna River, which flowed through undivided Punjab before the state's reorganisation in 1966.
The resolution called on the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to take an early decision on a complaint filed by Punjab on April 25, 2025, and constitute a Water Disputes Tribunal. It further stated that the state government should approach the Supreme Court if the Centre fails to take a decision.
Cheema Moves Resolution on Continuation of Welfare Schemes
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema moved another resolution stating that key welfare schemes would continue and that provisions for them would be included in the Punjab Budget.
These include the Mukhyamantri Mawan-Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, 300 units of free electricity per month, free electricity for agriculture, the Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana, Aam Aadmi Clinics, free bus travel for women, the pilgrimage scheme and financial assistance schemes linked to the dairy sector.
The resolution also condemned remarks made by the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal regarding these schemes.
AAP MLA Raises Mid-Day Meal Issue for Pre-Primary Students
AAP MLA Kulwant Singh raised the issue of mid-day meals for nursery and Lower Kindergarten (LKG) students, pointing out that the scheme currently covers children from UKG to Class 8.
He said nursery and LKG students attend classes alongside other children but do not receive mid-day meals. According to him, when lunchtime arrives, some classes are dismissed while students covered under the scheme are called for their meals.
Responding to the issue, the minister said the pre-primary system had been reorganised into Pre-Primary 1 and Pre-Primary 2. Changes in the Central Government's rules had created difficulties in implementing the scheme, he said.
The minister explained that the Centre previously released its share of funds before the state government contributed its portion. He added that the Punjab government was making efforts to ensure that meals were provided to all children.
