Chandigarh, Jan. 25 -- Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said that the World Bank (WB) has approved technical and financial assistance (loan) of Rs.5,700 crore under the Jal Sanrakshit Haryana Project, which will be disbursed in a phased manner from 2026 to 2032. The funds will be utilised for large-scale works in the canal sector. Out of a total 1,570 canals in the state, 892 canals have been restored over the past 20 years. The restoration of the remaining 678 canals will be completed in the next five years with the WB funds, chief minister Saini said after chairing a meeting regarding the Jal Sanrakshit programme. While restoration of 115 canals will be completed at a cost of Rs.2,325 crore with WB financial assistance, 284 canals will be restored at a cost of Rs.2,230 crore from the state budget, and 279 canals at a cost of Rs.2,880 crore through NABARD. The chief minister said that out of a total of 15,562 canal minors, 4,487 minors have been restored over the past 20 years, and the remaining 1,961 minors are proposed to be restored over the next five years. The agriculture department will develop tube-well-based drainage and surface drainage systems to resolve the problem of waterlogging in the waterlogged areas of the state, covering approximately 2 lakh acre land. Sustainable and water-conservation-based agriculture will be promoted through crop diversification, direct seeding of rice, and other measures and for this, the WB will provide Rs.886 crore loan. To strengthen groundwater recharge, about 80 water bodies will be constructed in various districts of southern Haryana. Treated water from four major sewage treatment plants located in Jind, Kaithal, and Gurugram will be reused for irrigation in approximately 28,000 acre of agricultural land and for this the WB has provided financial assistance of about Rs.600 crore....