Asserting that all guarantees are being fulfilled without discrimination, Punjab Water Resources and Soil and Water Conservation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the Bhagwant Mann-led government is delivering on its promises across sectors. The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has achieved a major irrigation breakthrough in the long-neglected Kandi belt, turning difficult terrain into cultivable opportunity.
With the 214 crore Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme bringing canal water to higher altitudes for the first time, he emphasised the AAP government’s pro-farmer schemes, highlighting higher water utilisation, large-scale infrastructure investment and a long-term vision linking farmer relief with economic transformation.
Marking a historic step, Punjab Water Resources and Soil and Water Conservation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal inaugurated the Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme developed at a cost of 214 crore. For the first time, canal water has been successfully lifted and delivered to higher altitude areas, ensuring assured irrigation to dry and rain-fed lands of the Kandi region.
The project will provide irrigation facilities to nearly 11,500 acres of land across 33 villages, paving the way for enhanced agricultural productivity and increased farmer income. The initiative will transform the agrarian landscape of the region by enabling farmers to cultivate better crops and improve land value.
Addressing the gathering after the inauguration, Cabinet minister Barinder Kumar Goyal stated, “The Kathgarh Lift Irrigation Scheme will serve as a milestone in extending irrigation to areas that remained deprived due to elevation challenges through the Kandi Canal and Bist Doab systems. The project will significantly reduce dependence on groundwater and bring long-term benefits to the region.”
Providing details of the project, he added that it is being executed in three phases. “The first phase covering 4,000 acres in 13 villages has already been completed in February 2026 at a cost of 67 crore. The second phase, costing 107 crore, will cover 5,500 acres in 14 villages and is expected to be completed by September 2026, while the third phase with an outlay of 40 crore will extend irrigation to 2,000 acres in 6 villages. A 650 kW solar plant has also been installed to minimise electricity burden,” he shared.
Highlighting the technical aspects, Barinder Kumar Goyal said that the scheme has been connected to the Bist Doab Canal with a discharge capacity of 67 cusecs and water will be lifted through pumps and supplied via an extensive pipeline network to high, low and semi-hilly agricultural fields. He added that no land acquisition was required as existing departmental land was utilised for the pump house.
Reiterating the commitment of the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government, Barinder Kumar Goyal said that the state has spent 6,700 crore so far to strengthen irrigation infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted canal water supply. “While only 22 percent water was earlier used for irrigation, the Mann government has increased its utilisation to 78 percent. Strengthening of canals has contributed to improvement in groundwater levels, reduction in electricity consumption and enhancement in soil fertility,” he stated.
Prominent among others present on the occasion included MLA from Banga Dr. Sukhwinder Sukhi, MLA Balachaur Santosh Kataria, Deputy Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Balbir Raj Singh and several other dignitaries.