The government has introduced a new action plan to speed up construction and complete most national pride irrigation projects within the next five years.
The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation is revising project timelines. They are making a new plan with clear responsibilities and measurable targets. Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha recently directed officials to make sure that the projects are finished in time. He has specifically instructed to finish Bheri-Babai Multipurpose, Babai, and Sikta irrigation projects within the next three dry seasons. He also emphasized on using modern technology like SCADA for fair water distribution and connecting these irrigation projects with agriculture and industry.
New Monitoring Systems and SETU Unit
To monitor the progress, ministry is going to set up a special unit called ‘SETU’ (Irrigation Implementation and Monitoring Unit). This unit will coordinate between the project sites and the ministry to solve problems. CCTV cameras will also be installed at major construction sites so that the ministry can watch the work directly. All details like financial progress, contracts, land acquisition, and forest clearances will be kept on an integrated dashboard. If work goes slow, an early warning system will alert the officials. Project chiefs now have to submit clear commitments showing exact delays in months and remaining work in kilometers or hectares, rather than just showing percentages.
Current Status of Irrigation Projects
Let us look at status of different irrigation projects. For the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion project, total estimated cost is Rs 61.65 arba. Out of this, around Rs 17 arba has been spent so far. The project has achieved 27.3 percent financial progress and 32 percent physical progress. A contract of about Rs 24 arba has gone for re-bidding. This project aims to irrigate 1.22 lakh hectares of land.
The Bheri-Babai Multipurpose project has an estimated cost of around Rs 33.20 arba. So far, Rs 19.30 arba has been spent, which means physical progress is at 66.4 percent and financial progress is at 58.6 percent. The government aims to completing this project within two years by speeding up work.
For the Sikta Irrigation project, the goal is to irrigate 42,700 hectares, but only 25,000 hectares are getting water right now. The total cost is Rs 52.89 arba, with 44 percent financial progress and 51 percent physical progress. The ministry hopes to solve technical issues like dispersive soil and finish this project in five years.
Similarly, the Rani Jamara-Kulariya project aims to cover 38,300 hectares, but currently only 13,200 hectares are irrigated. The project also generates 4.7 megawatt of electricity. Out of the estimated Rs 30 arba cost, physical progress is 75 percent and financial progress is 73 percent. Main challenges here are land acquisition and getting construction materials. With the help of World Bank, an expansion of 137 million dollars is being done to irrigate 18,000 hectares more, which should be finished in five years.
The Babai Irrigation project has reached 81.97 percent physical progress and 68.23 percent financial progress. Out of the estimated Rs 26.69 arba cost, Rs 18.21 arba has been spent. Currently, 28,800 hectares out of the target 36,000 hectares are getting irrigation. This project is expected to be completed within the fiscal year 2085/86.
Lastly, the Mahakali Irrigation project has a target of 33,500 hectares, but only 5,155 hectares are irrigated till now. Out of the Rs 37 arba estimated cost, only Rs 10.74 arba has been spent, showing around 31 percent physical progress. Key problems here are land acquisition and the uncertainty of getting water from India under Mahakali Treaty. This project is targetted to be completed by fiscal year 2091/92.
According to ministry, past delays happened because of contractor issues and expansion of project scope. Now, quarterly reviews will be done to keep things on track.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
