Bist Doab Canal revival drives 167 % surge in irrigated area in 2025-26: Barinder Goyal
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, June 4, 2026: In a major boost to Punjab’s irrigation infrastructure, the irrigated area under the Bist Doab Canal Network has increased by 167% during the 2025–26 agricultural year, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal announced on Wednesday.
The expansion has brought an additional 1,10,762 acres under canal irrigation, significantly strengthening agriculture across the Doaba region, including Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Kapurthala, and Hoshiarpur districts.
Goyal said the revival of the historic canal system under the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government has helped address long-standing water shortages and reduced dependency on groundwater in several farming belts.
A key milestone of the project is that 19,213 acres of farmland have received canal water for the first time, shifting farmers away from erratic borewell-based irrigation.
The restored flow in the Bist Doab Canal network—originating from Ropar Headworks and including distributaries and minors—has improved water distribution efficiency and expanded the command area. The Kathgarh lift irrigation scheme in Balachaur has also seen strengthened operations, improving supply in nearby agricultural zones.
Areas such as Banga, Mukandpur, Apra, Nurmahal, Malsian, Nakodar, Adampur, and Kala Sanghian have witnessed significant infrastructure upgrades, enhancing last-mile water delivery through restored distributaries linked to the Jalandhar branch.
The minister also highlighted that an additional 150 cusecs of water has been allocated to the Jalandhar branch to improve municipal water supply, reducing dependence on groundwater and supporting more sustainable urban water management.
Goyal said the canal’s revival reflects the government’s commitment to modernising irrigation systems, improving farmer livelihoods, and ensuring long-term water sustainability for Punjab’s agricultural economy.
He added that the transformation of the Bist Doab Canal Network represents not just restoration, but a long-term shift towards resilience and sustainable growth in the state’s agrarian sector.