Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, March 26-
Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today hailed the state government's fourth budget as an exceptionally strategic, forward-looking and comprehensive roadmap for sustainable water management and agricultural development.
Listing the budget highlights, Goyal asserted CM Bhagwant Mann led government's commitment to addressing critical water challenges through innovative and targeted interventions.
He informed that in the Budget 2025-26, the Shahpur Kandi Dam Project emerges as a cornerstone of the government's visionary infrastructure planning, with a substantial investment of Rs.2604-CR. This landmark project is poised to generate 1042 MU of hydroelectricity and enhance irrigation across 1.55 lakh hectares in the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) system. The project will directly benefit districts including Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Pathankot, marking a significant milestone in the state's water resource management strategy.