Punjab is reversing decades-long depletion of State’s groundwater table, says FM Cheema
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced that the state has successfully reversed groundwater depletion through canal restoration and rainwater harvesting initiatives. These efforts have reportedly increased groundwater levels and improved crop yields, reducing the reliance on energy-intensive tubewells.
Why it matters
This initiative represents a significant policy shift in agricultural water management, potentially serving as a model for regions facing severe groundwater depletion due to intensive farming.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday (August 6, 2026) said that the State government has made strides in reversing the decades-long depletion of Punjab’s groundwater table through large-scale canal revival, watercourse restoration and groundwater recharge initiatives.
Mr. Cheema said, “For the past 25 to 30 years, continuous extraction had caused groundwater levels to plummet, forcing farmers to constantly deepen tubewells and increase electricity loads. To combat this, the current government has embarked on a massive mission to restore the State’s canal network. By laying and reviving 16,000 kilometers of watercourses and releasing around 39,049 cusecs of water into canals, the State government has successfully ensured that canal water reaches the tail-end of every farmer’s field,” he said, addressing a press conference here.
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