SHAHPUR KANDI PROJECT

About:

• Located in Pathankot district, Punjab, the project will be constructed on the canal from Shahpurkandi Barrage to Madhopur headworks, downstream of the existing Ranjit Sagar Dam.
  
  
• The water released by Ranjit Sagar Dam shall be utilised for generating power from this project.
  
  
• Shahpur Kandi project would be completed in three years and would generate 207 MW power and irrigate 95,000 acres of land farmers.
  
  
• Background: The genesis of the project can be traced to a 1979 agreement between Punjab and J&K governments for the Ranjit Sagar (Thein) Dam.
  
  
• Agencies involved: While the project will be implemented by Punjab, a tripartite team headed by a Member, Central Water Commission (CWC), and comprising the Chief Engineers of the two states, will monitor it.
  
  

Benefits:

• Shahpur Kandi would allow India to utilise fully the water of the Ravi as per the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
  
  
• For Punjab: It will provide a balancing reservoir to enable the upstream Ranjit Sagar Dam project to act as a peaking station, besides having its own generation capacity of 206 MW and irrigating 37,173 hectares of cultivable command area in Punjab and J&K.
  
  
• For J&K: J&K will get 20% of the power generated through the project at Rs 3.40 per unit with prospective effect.