Punjab to spend Rs 61.14b on irrigation, Rs 5.73b on energy sectors

LAHORE, Jun 16 (APP): The Punjab government has proposed allocation of Rs 61.14 billion for irrigation sector and Rs 5.73b for the energy sector in upcoming financial year.

In his budget speech on the floor of Punjab Assembly here Tuesday, Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that in view of the increasing water challenges, improvement of the canal system, reduction of water water loss, and strengthening of irrigation infrastructure are among the top priorities of the government. For this purpose, Rs. 30 billion under development expenditures and Rs. 31.14 billion under non-development expenditures have been allocated for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27.

He mentioned that the detail of a few important projects is as follows:

In the current fiscal year, a total of Rs. 95 billion is allocated for water resources, irrigation, and flood protection from the Jalalpur, Nauraja Bhutta Flood Protection Embankment, Irrigation Project, Sorra Dam, Tamman Dam, Pirwala Flood Protection Embankment, and Dadhocha Dam. Implementation was started on projects for the eradication of waterlogging in Rahim Yar Khan, through which more than 300,000 acres of agricultural land is being protected and made cultivable. He addded that Rs. 47 billion is proposed for the upcoming fiscal year for the restoration and improvement of link canals under the Umbrella Canal Lining Project (Phase-II). Under this project, the lining of 500 kilometers of distributaries and minors, the capacity to store 100,000 acre-feet of water through the Potohar Small Dams Program, and making 75,000 acres of land cultivable are part of this budget. Environmental and water availability improvements will be ensured through the restoration of the BRBD Link and the construction of the new Ravi Syphon at a cost of Rs. 12 billion. The Flood Resilience Programme has been included in the Annual Development Program of the fiscal year 2026-27 for 51 schemes at a cost of Rs. 56 billion.

The Finance Minister said that the flood of 2025-26 was not just a natural calamity but a lesson that realized the need for better preparedness for the challenges of the future. While the government provided data under Rescue and Relief Operations, it also invested in Flood Resilient Infrastructure and long-term protective measures. Following this flood, the provincial government, to deal with future threats, will use modern technology and scientific methods for the complete Mapping of all canals, the irrigation system, and other water resources so that effective preparedness can be made before any future flood.

An allocation of Rs. 1.35 billion has been made to enhance the response capacity for dealing with natural disasters and Rescue 1122 has been provided with modern field rescue machinery, while during the fiscal year 2025-26, Rs. 4 billion and Rs. 630 million were released to the PDMA relief fund so that relief operations could be ensured in timely and effective manners during flood and other emergency situations. In addition to this, Regional Disaster Management Centers adorned with warehouse facilities will be established across Punjab at a cost of Rs. 7 billion in the fiscal year 2026-27.

He asserted that a project for the cleaning and provision of surface water of the Dhadhocha Dam Rawalpindi is being introduced at a cost of Rs. 49.10 billion. Similarly, the Drains Rehabilitation and Improvement Program in Punjab has been proposed at a cost of Rs. 10 billion.

About energy sector, he said, an allocation of Rs. 4.30 billion under development expenditures and Rs. 1.43 billion under non-development expenditures has been made for the Energy Department in the upcoming fiscal year. Keeping in view the promotion of energy efficiency, environment protection, and modern technology, multiple important initiatives are being proposed in this sector:

Implementation is underway on the Renewable Energy Development Sector Investment Program (REDSIP) for the effective utilization of renewable energy at a cost of Rs. 12.86 billion.

Under the CM Free Solar Panel Scheme, solar systems have been provided to 90,000 households at a cost of Rs. 9.97 billion. For this purpose, Rs. 90 billion has been allocated in the upcoming fiscal year.

An amount of Rs. 8.50 billion has been allocated for the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Program through which solar systems of 30 megawatts were installed in 38 WASAs and 51 Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals.

In the upcoming fiscal year, proposals for the establishment of the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), awareness, Punjab Appliance Performance & Energy Lab, and industrial solutions like Industrial Facilitation through Innovative Energy Solution are also a part of this budget with a total cost of approximately Rs. 12 billion.

Punjab government is giving special importance to the promotion of sustainable development and modern urban infrastructure. For this purpose, several projects are under implementation across Punjab at a total cost of Rs. 290 billion during the fiscal year 2025-26 for the restoration and repair of roads. These include the Sarkain Bahaal Punjab Khushal Program, Roads Restoration Programme (RRP), Rawalpindi Ring Road Project, and Rehabilitation Program Phase-II from Quaid-e-Azam Interchange to Wagah Border Road, Multan-Vehari Road, and Faisalabad-Chiniot Road and Kutchery Chowk Faisalabad-Chiniot Road upgrading. Moreover, the roads which were started in previous fiscal years are also included in this budget with an allocation of Rs. 36 billion for their completion.

Keeping in view this importance, the CM Initiative for Road Infrastructure is being introduced at a cost of Rs. 100 billion for the improvement of the basic road infrastructure across Punjab, through which construction, restoration, and upgradation of roads will be carried out in different districts.