Chandigarh, January 24, 2026: In a significant push to strengthen Haryana’s water management and irrigation infrastructure, the World Bank has approved technical and financial assistance worth ₹5,700 crore under the ‘Jal Sanrakshit Haryana Project’, aimed at making the state self-reliant in the water sector. The approval has been granted under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Chairing a high-level review meeting in Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said the funding would be released in phases over a six-year period from 2026 to 2032 and would be primarily utilised for large-scale canal restoration, water conservation and modern irrigation initiatives. He said the project marks a decisive step towards long-term water security for the state.
Saini informed that out of 1,570 canals across Haryana, 892 have already been restored over the last two decades, while the remaining 678 canals will be taken up for restoration within the next five years. Of these, 115 canals will be restored with World Bank assistance at a cost of ₹2,325 crore, 284 canals will be funded by the state government with an outlay of ₹2,230 crore, and 279 canals will be restored through NABARD funding amounting to ₹2,880 crore.
The Chief Minister further said that under the MICADA framework, 4,487 of the state’s 15,562 canal minors have already been restored. The remaining 1,961 canal minors will be completed over the next five years, including 400 minors supported by the World Bank with ₹450 crore, 1,500 funded by the state at a cost of ₹1,250 crore, and 61 minors financed by NABARD with an outlay of ₹402 crore. He added that micro-irrigation systems would be introduced across nearly 70,000 acres of farmland with World Bank assistance of ₹900 crore.
To tackle the issue of waterlogging, the Agriculture Department will develop tube-well-based and surface drainage systems over around two lakh acres of affected land. The project will also promote sustainable agricultural practices such as crop diversification and direct seeding of rice, backed by World Bank funding of approximately ₹886 crore.
Emphasising groundwater recharge, Saini said around 80 water bodies would be constructed in southern Haryana. He also said treated water from four major sewage treatment plants located in Jind, Kaithal and Gurugram would be reused for irrigation over nearly 28,000 acres, supported by World Bank assistance of ₹600 crore.
The Chief Minister said the World Bank has described the Jal Sanrakshit Haryana programme as a “paradigm shift” in water management. He noted that once completed, all canals in Haryana would be restored and modernised, making them among the best-managed canal systems in the country. The project is expected to ensure that the entire canal network remains fully lined and operational for the next 25 years, significantly reducing the need for repeated restoration work.
He said irrigation facilities would be extended to an additional two lakh acres, while waterlogging would be reduced and freshwater conserved for drinking purposes. Appealing to farmers, Saini urged wider adoption of micro-irrigation systems, especially for paddy cultivation, and directed officials to launch extensive awareness campaigns.
The Chief Minister also announced that tenders would soon be floated to supply drinking water through pipelines to the Kharkhoda industrial zone and instructed officials to prepare proposals for channel links to secure future water availability for industrial and drinking needs.
A detailed presentation on the project was made by Chief Engineer of the Irrigation Department, Dr Satbir Kadyan. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Arun Kumar Gupta, Additional Principal Secretary Dr Saket Kumar and senior officials of the Irrigation Department.
