PM Modi had speeded up the hydroelectric projects in Jammu region to ensure optimal use of river waters. The Shahpur Kandi barrage, a national project, was revised after four decades following the intervention of the PM.
Since the terror attack in Baisaran valley in Pahalgam last year, India made a steady progress on four ongoing hydel power projects in Jammu and Kashmir over the Chenab river, and they are likely to be commissioned in 2027-28.
Under the flawed Indus water treaty, brokered by the World Bank, six rivers were divided between the two countries The eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) were given to India and the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) were given to Pakistan, with India permitted limited, non-consumptive use of the latter.
On December 6, 2018, the cabinet chaired by PM Modi approved implementation of the Shahpur Kandi project, and a central assistance of ₹485.38 crore (for irrigation component) was granted. On completion of the project, an irrigation potential of 5,000 hectares of land in Punjab and 32,173 hectares in J&K’s Kathua and Samba districts would be created.
Implementation of the project in collaboration with Punjab would help minimising the water of the River Ravi which was going waste through the Madhopur Headworks downstream to Pakistan.
In addition, water being released to provide irrigation in 1.18 lakh hectares area in Punjab would be managed/regulated efficiently through this project.
On completion, Punjab would also be able to generate 206 MW of hydropower.
The project goes back decades. A bilateral agreement was signed between Punjab and J&K in 1979, as per which the construction of Ranjit Sagar Dam (Thein Dam) and Shahpur Kandi Dam was to be taken up by Punjab. The project was approved by the Planning Commission in 2001. A revised cost was approved by the Centre in 2009.
However, work could not progress on Shahpur Kandi much due to non-availability of funds on the part of the government of Punjab for the power component and later interstate issues with J&K. A series of meetings followed between J&K and Punjab, and with the Centre. Finally, an agreement was reached between Punjab and J&K states in Delhi in 2018. The then PM PV Narsimha Rao had laid the foundation stone in 1995. The project was declared a national project by the Union Ministry of Water Resources in February 2008.
About 80 km of the Ravi canal and 492.5 km of distribution network in J&K constructed years ago had remained unutilised due to continuous delays in the completion of the barrage.
