Kamal Ghorui
The World Bank has approved technical and financial assistance of Rs 5,700 crore for Haryana under the ‘Jal Sanrakshit Haryana Project’, aimed at making the state self-reliant in the water sector, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Saturday.Chairing a review meeting on the programme, Saini said the funds will be released in phases between 2026 and 2032 and will be used primarily for large-scale canal restoration, micro-irrigation, groundwater recharge and sustainable agriculture initiatives.According to the official plan, Haryana has 1,570 canals, of which 892 have been restored over the past two decades. The remaining 678 canals are proposed to be completed over the next five years. This includes restoration of 115 canals at a cost of Rs 2,325 crore with World Bank support, 284 canals costing Rs 2,230 crore from the state budget, and 279 canals worth Rs 2,880 crore through NABARD funding.The Chief Minister said similar work is planned for minor canals. Of the 15,562 minor canals under the Micro Irrigation & Command Area Development Authority, 4,487 have already been restored, while 1,961 will be taken up over the next five years. This includes 400 minor canals costing Rs 450 crore with World Bank assistance, 1,500 minor canals worth Rs 1,250 crore funded by the state, and 61 canals costing Rs 402 crore through NABARD.With World Bank support of Rs 900 crore, micro-irrigation systems will also be implemented across nearly 70,000 acres of farmland. The Agriculture Department will develop tube-well-based and surface drainage systems to address waterlogging across around 2 lakh acres, while crop diversification, direct seeding of rice and other water-conservation practices will be promoted with assistance of about Rs 886 crore.The project also includes construction of around 80 new water bodies in southern Haryana to boost groundwater recharge. Treated water from sewage treatment plants in Jind, Kaithal and Gurugram will be reused to irrigate nearly 28,000 acres, supported by World Bank funding of about Rs 600 crore.Saini said the World Bank described the ‘Jal Sanrakshit Haryana’ programme as a “paradigm shift” in the state’s water management approach. He added that once completed, the entire canal network would be fully lined and capable of operating efficiently for the next 25 years, reducing the need for repeated restoration spending.On completion, irrigation facilities will expand to an additional 2 lakh acres, farmers will get relief from waterlogging, and fresh water currently used for irrigation can be conserved for drinking purposes, the Chief Minister said, urging farmers to adopt micro-irrigation systems, particularly for paddy cultivation.
