Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): The Haryana Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, has approved the ambitious ‘Water Secure Haryana Program’ (WSHP) to address the state’s growing water challenges and strengthen climate resilience. Estimated at a total cost of Rs 5,714.80 crore, the project includes a Rs 4,000.36 crore loan from the World Bank, with the remaining Rs 1,714.44 crore funded by the state government. The integrated water sector initiative aims to benefit approximately 45 lakh people across 15 priority irrigation clusters covering nearly 48.94 lakh acres of culturable command area.
The multi-departmental project will focus on tackling depleting groundwater levels, improving canal system efficiency, and enhancing sustainable agricultural water usage. Under the Irrigation and Water Resources Department, around Rs 2,484.87 crore will be allocated to rehabilitate 104 canal channels covering 8.75 lakh acres, while Rs 248 crore will fund the construction of 131 new water bodies for groundwater recharge. Furthermore, Rs 282.13 crore will be utilized to recycle treated wastewater from four sewage treatment plants for irrigation purposes.
To modernize water management, the program incorporates digital infrastructure, including 20 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems for automated canal operations and 400 Real-Time Data Acquisition Systems (RTDAS) for flow monitoring. In addition, the Micro Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority (MICADA) will oversee the rehabilitation of 620 watercourses and 120 canal-based micro-irrigation projects at a combined cost of Rs 1,500 crore.
Agricultural practices will also be targeted to reduce water demand through sustainable farming initiatives managed by the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department. Measures include reclaiming 2 lakh acres of waterlogged land using sub-surface drainage, expanding Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) techniques across 5 lakh acres, and promoting crop diversification over 1.12 lakh acres under the ‘Mera Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme to secure the state’s long-term agricultural and water future.
