BANKE: The Sikta Irrigation Project, a national pride project currently under construction, has started collecting data on beneficiary farmers in its command area to ensure effective water distribution and management.
The project is collecting data on farmers who are currently receiving irrigation services through branches and sub-branches of the Eastern and Western Main Canals, as well as those who will benefit from the irrigation facilities in the future, said Project Director Raju Acharya.
He said the data collection process has reached its final stage, as registration as a water user is mandatory to receive irrigation services. The data was collected following consultations with local people’s representatives and farmers.
“Water user membership is mandatory to receive irrigation services. Based on this membership, committees for operating sub-branches, branches and the main canals will be formed,” Director Acharya said. “The project will undertake water management activities, including irrigation expansion and the construction of necessary infrastructure, based on the estimated costs.”
He said consultations had been held with beneficiary farmers of the Pedari, Akalgharuwa and Parsenipur branches under the Western Main Canal and the Rajkulo and Fattepur branches under the Eastern Main Canal for data collection.
The data on farmers in the irrigated areas has been collected to facilitate the project’s future planning, said Lal Bahadur Basnet, chairperson of the Eastern Main Canal Consumers’ Ad Hoc Committee. According to him, data collection among farmers under the Eastern Main Canal has also reached its final stage.
According to Project Director Acharya, the project’s physical progress has reached 51 percent, with around Rs 24 billion spent on infrastructure construction so far. He said maintenance work was being carried out regularly, while efforts were underway to complete the remaining construction work within the next five years.
Construction of the project began in fiscal year 2062/63. Under the project, a 317-metre-long barrage has been constructed across the Rapti River at Agaiya in Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality of Banke district. The project aims to provide irrigation facilities to 42,766 hectares of land.
Funded through the Government of Nepal’s own resources, the project aims to irrigate 33,766 hectares through the Western Main Canal and around 9,000 hectares through the Eastern Main Canal. So far, irrigation facilities have been extended to 25,000 hectares of land, Director Acharya said.
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