The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod to the implementation of Shahpurkandi Dam project in Punjab on the river Ravi in an attempt to minimise wastage of water of the river, which currently flows downstream to Pakistan. And, utilise the water in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
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An official statement said for implementing the project, central assistance of ₹485.38 crore for the irrigation part would be given over five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23.
“Implementation of this project would help in minimising some of the water of the river Ravi which at present is going waste through the Madhopur headworks downstream to Pakistan,” said the statement.
On completion, the project has an irrigation potential of 5,000 hectares in Punjab and 32,173 hectares in Jammu and Kashmir. Punjab would also be able to generate 206 MW of hydro-power, the statement added. The project would be implemented by the Punjab government and would be completed by June 2022.
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It may be noted that the Indus Waters Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960 for sharing of Indus waters. According to the treaty, India got the full rights for utilization of waters of the three eastern Rivers namely Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
“A bilateral agreement was signed between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir in January, 1979. As per the agreement, construction of Ranjit Sagar Dam (Thein Dam) and Shahpurkandi Dam was to be taken up by the Punjab government and the dam was commissioned in August 2000,” said the statement.