World Bank approves Rs 4,000-crore loan for Haryana water conservation project

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said the World Bank has approved a loan of Rs 4,000 crore for the state's ambitious 'Jal Sanrakshit Haryana' project aimed at making Haryana water-secure and self-reliant. The total cost of the project is Rs 5,714 crore and it will be implemented in phases between 2026 and 2032. The programme will cover 15 clusters spread across 48.94 lakh acres across the state. Chairing a review meeting of senior officials here, Saini directed departments to prepare a comprehensive water management plan and ensure its effective implementation at the grassroots level.

He stressed optimum use of treated water, conservation of every drop of water and development of a digital system for monitoring water availability and usage. The chief minister said village-level water committees would be formed and actively involved in the development and maintenance of water channels. A dedicated fund would also be created for their upkeep, with financial support from the state government.

According to officials, the project includes rehabilitation of the remaining 678 canals in Haryana. Of these, 106 canals will be restored with World Bank assistance at a cost of Rs 2,484.87 crore, 293 canals through state funding costing Rs 2,230 crore and 279 canals under NABARD-supported projects. Saini said the programme will rehabilitate 620 water channels, benefiting around 3.18 lakh acres of agricultural land. In addition, 120 canal-based micro-irrigation projects will be upgraded, extending irrigation benefits to nearly 56,830 acres. The project also includes reclamation of about two lakh acres of waterlogged land, promotion of direct seeded rice (DSR) on five lakh acres and crop diversification on around 1.12 lakh acres. To strengthen groundwater recharge, 147 water bodies will be developed in seven districts -- Bhiwani, Jind, Kaithal, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Charkhi Dadri, and Sirsa. The chief minister said treated wastewater from major sewage treatment plants in Jind, Kaithal, and Dhanwapur in Gurugram would be reused for irrigation.

The initiative will cover nearly 28,000 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 282.13 crore. Saini said the World Bank had appreciated Haryana's efforts in water resource management and described the programme as a transformational initiative. He added that all canals in the state would be rehabilitated and modernised under the project, strengthening irrigation infrastructure and ensuring sustainable water availability for future generations. State Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Shruti Choudhry and senior officials attended the meeting.