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How does the Bhakra Dam project supply irrigation water to Punjab?

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Amritsar, India: Harmandir Sahib — Punjab The Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple; right), Amritsar, Punjab, India.

The Bhakra Dam project, located in the neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh, is a critical infrastructure development that provides a significant portion of the irrigation water supply for Punjab.1

By regulating the flow of the Sutlej River, the project enables the distribution of water through a network of canals to support the state's extensive agricultural sector. This system is essential for maintaining the high productivity of Punjab's farmland, which relies heavily on government-owned canal systems for irrigation, particularly in the southern and southwestern regions of the state. The project serves as a vital component of the broader water management infrastructure in India, which utilizes various dams, barrages, and link canals to distribute water from the eastern tributaries of the Indus basin to Punjab and surrounding areas.213