The idea of bringing the waters from the Himalayan Rivers flowing through Punjab and into Pakistan was conceived by hydraulic engineer Kanwar Sain in the late 1940s.

Sain estimated that 2,000,000 ha (20,000 km2) of desert land in Bikaner and the northwest corner of Jaisalmer could be irrigated by the stored waters of Punjab rivers.

Stage I consisted of a 204 km (127 mi) feeder canal from Harike barrage, Firozpur, Punjab to Masitawali (Hanumangarh) with the main canal of 189 km (117 mi) from Masitawali (Hanumangarh) to Pugal, (Bikaner) in Rajasthan.

Stage I also included constructing a distributary canal system of about 2,950 km (1,830 mi) in length.

With increased requirements, the total length of main, feeder and distribution canals was about 9,245 km (5,745 mi).

Mustard, cotton, and wheat now grows in this semi-arid northwestern region, replacing the soil there previously.