Ranjha (Banke), November 1
The Sikta Irrigation Project, a national pride project under construction in Banke, has begun collecting data on farmers who use its irrigation system to improve water management and ensure services reach the intended beneficiaries.
Project Director Raju Acharya said the project was preparing a list of farmers currently receiving irrigation services through its eastern and western canal systems, as well as those expected to use the facilities in the future.
Membership in a water users’ group is mandatory to access irrigation services, and the data collection process has reached its final stage, Acharya said.
The information collected will help determine the project’s expansion and the infrastructure required to manage irrigation water effectively.
As part of the process, discussions have been held with farmers using 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.
The project has achieved 51 per cent physical progress, with around Rs 24 billion spent on infrastructure construction. The remaining work is expected to be completed within the next five years.
Launched in fiscal year 2062/63 BS, the project includes construction of a 317-metre barrage across the Rapti River at Agaiya in Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality, Banke.
The project aims to provide irrigation to 42,766 hectares of land. Funded entirely by the government, it is designed to irrigate 33,766 hectares through the Western Main Canal and around 9,000 hectares through the Eastern Main Canal.
According to Acharya, irrigation facilities have so far been extended to 25,000 hectares of land.
