Punjab Government approved Policy to Check Exploitation of Ground Water

Punjab government in third week of May 2013 has approved a policy stipulating guidelines for the release of electric connections for agricultural pump sets in the state for 2013-14 to prevent exploitation of ground water.

As per the Agriculture Power Tube Wells Policy, Punjab Electricity Regulatory Commission has prescribed the state government to decide on the number of agricultural pump set connections to be released each year for reasons of ecology, inadequate ground water potential and declining water table.
 
For this a new policy guidelines have been formulated in the backdrop of state government’s ambitious programme of crop diversification.

Aims and Objective of policy

• The policy aims to popularise drip/micro irrigation amongst farmers, especially the vegetable and fruit growers with a thrust on conservation of water.
• Reckless use of ground water has rendered 45 blocks in Punjab as over exploited blocks as revealed in the latest report of Central Ground Water Authority.