Will give up life than sharing water with states: Punjab CM

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said he was ready to give up his life rather than give the state's scarce water resources to the other states.

Wrapping up the debate on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address, the Chief Minister said Punjab did not have surplus water and, in line with internationally accepted riparian principles, would not allow the transfer of water from the basin to non-basin areas.

His government had made every possible effort to achieve this and shall continue to work in for protecting the water rights of Punjab, to ensure the livelihood of millions of Punjabi farmers and landless farm laborers, said the Chief Minister, pointing out that protecting the state's water was a top priority for his government.

Referring to measures taken by his government for saving water resources, the Chief Minister said apart from enactment of the Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act of 2020, the government had also piloted a unique project namely 'Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao' aimed at incentivizing farmers to save water and earn money by consuming lesser groundwater.

The project, under which agriculture consumers are given a fixed electricity entitlement for every month of the year and no bills are issued to the farmers, will be expanded under the Budget 2020-21, he said.

The Chief Minister said the government would complete the Shahpur Kandi Dam Project in 2022-23 and would also make every possible effort to complete the Kandi Canal, along with attendant watercourses, by providing requisite finances during 2020-21.