The Punjab government has initiated land acquisition in Muktsar district for the proposed Malwa canal project, expected to benefit Ferozepur, Faridkot, and Muktsar districts.
Originating at Harike headworks, the canal is planned to be 149 km long, 50 ft. wide, and 12.5 ft. deep, with a carrying capacity of 2,000 cusecs, potentially irrigating 2 lakh acres. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, who visited the site at Doda village last year, described it as Punjab’s first new canal project since Independence.
A notification by the Water Resources Department (WRD) restricts land transactions in 22 villages without Collector approval. Of the required 822 acres, 496 acres fall in Muktsar district, covering 77 km of the canal. Administrators have been appointed for rehabilitation and resettlement to ensure smooth execution.