Sikta Irrigation Project reports 51 percent progress, data collections of beneficiaries underway

The under-construction Sikta Irrigation, a national pride project, has started collecting farmers’ (water users’) data to facilitate water management to target groups.

According to project director Raju Acharya, they were preparing a list of farmers who presently access the irrigation facilities under the Project system in the east and west belts. त्

he list also includes the future users, it is said. According to him, since membership as a water user is mandatory for accessing irrigation services, the data collection process has neared the final phase.

Being based on the collected details, expansion of the project and construction of required infrastructures will be determined for the management of irrigation waters.

He added that discussions were held with the farmers who are water users from the Pedari, Akalgharuwa and Parsenipur branches under the Western Main Canal, as well as the trunk canal and Fattepur branch under the Eastern Main Canal, for the data collections.

It is said physical progress of the project reached 51 percent, with the spending of around Rs 24 billon for infrastructure construction.

The remaining works are expected to conclude within the next five years. Under the project that had kicked off in 2062-63 BS, a 317-metre barrage will be built along the Rapti River at Agaiya of Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality in Banke.

The project aims to supply irrigation facilities to 42,766 hectares of land. The project being enforced with the government’s own fund aims to provide irrigation facilities to 33,766 hectares of land via its western main canal and around 9,000 hectares via the eastern main canal.

According to Director Acharya, till date, irrigation facilities were extended to 25,000 hectares of land.(RSS)