Reiterating government's commitment to ensure equitable development of all the regions of the state, Minister for Rural Development and Panchyat Raj Mula Ram inaugurated Gurah Pattan lift irrigation scheme worth Rs. 110.46 lakh from Ranbir Canal here today. This project had been started in 2004-05 under NABARD in the left bank of river Chenab in Ranbir Canal to cater to the irrigation requirements of agriculture land of 800 acres. Addressing the gathering, Mula Ram called upon the people to maintain age-old communal amity and brotherhood in creating congenial atmosphere so that pace of development tempo could be accelerated. He said people are now aware enough to judge the performance of the government and would never fall prey to the evil designs of vested interests. He informed the people that the Irrigation and Flood Control department has geared up its machinery to provide adequate irrigation facilities to the farmers. In this context, numerous new irrigation schemes in Raipur Domana constituency were taken up during last two years. He said that the projects of modernization work of Ranbir Canal which is providing 80% of irrigation water facilities against the overall irrigated area of the division, being expediously modernized so that losses of water on account of seepage are minimized and adequate water provided to the farmers. The department shall be putting its best possible efforts to complete the undone modernization works within period of 2-3 years so that full benefit after the modernization accure to the farmers resulting in quality/ quantity food production. He said that Ranbir canal which provides irrigation water to the villages falling in the area through distributory No. 2A, 2B, 3C, 5A, 5C and 6 has yielded good results in food production. He said under Lift Irrigation Schemes, more projects are being implemented in the area. Under another scheme, more new pump sets and 18 new tube-wells in Paloura area are being installed over the agriculture land of farmers and drinking water facilities to the people and for which wires, poles and transformers are already being procured, he added.