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Abstract
The Punjab, a province lying in the north-western part of the British India, which is experienced an extensive and rapid economic growth from the late nineteenth century onward. This came from the development of canal irrigation that is accompanied by a process of migratory settlement in its western parts that is came to be known as the canal colonies. As many as nine canal colonies were developed in Punjab encompassing all the available lands of the Bari, Rachna and Chaj Doabs. These canal colonies were Sidhnai, Sohag Para, Chunnian, Lower Bari Doab, Nili Bar, Jhelum, Chenab, Upper Chenab and Upper Jhelum. The development of these canal colonies resulted from the desire of the British Indian authority to extend cultivation to western doabs. This area still had abundance of virgin lands to be cultivated. The irrigation system, which were existed at that time confined to tracts contiguous to rivers. There were evidence regarding former habitations and earthworks in that area which showed the existence of irrigation networks in the past.