India Halts Flow Of Ravi River To Pakistan, 32000 hectare J&K land to be irrigated

The Shahpur Kandi Barrage project, which is a big plan to provide water and electricity on the Ravi River between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, is almost done after facing problems for thirty years. This is a big deal because it changes the direction of 1150 cusecs of water that used to go to Pakistan. Now, it will be used to water more than 32,000 hectares of land in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua and Samba districts.

The project started in 1995 when Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao began it. However, there were many delays because the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were arguing. It wasn't until Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh stepped in, in 2018, that the project started again after being stopped for four and a half years.

This project, which costs about Rs. 3300 crore, has many benefits:

1. Irrigation: 1150 cusecs of water will help grow crops in Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab will get over 5000 cusecs.

2. Hydropower: The project will create 206 MW of electricity, mostly for Punjab.

3. Tourism: People are expected to visit the site as it becomes a tourist attraction.

Dr. Singh criticized the past governments of Jammu and Kashmir for stopping the project for political reasons, even though it could have helped the Jammu region. He said that because Prime Minister Modi got involved and the project was considered national under Governor’s Rule, it was finished quickly.

This is a big step forward in using the Ravi River’s water for farming and making power. It also makes sure that the water is shared fairly between the states.