Koshi Province's Irrigation and Water Access Report

Limited Irrigation Coverage in Farmland
Only 53% of Koshi Province's cultivable land currently has irrigation facilities, according to the Ministry of Water Supply, Irrigation and Energy. Shockingly, just 37.3% of this irrigated land receives year-round water access. The province has 594,616 hectares of irrigable land, but only 318,735 hectares currently benefit from irrigation services.

Progress Since Provincial Establishment
Since the provincial government's formation in 2018 (2075 BS), irrigation facilities have expanded to an additional 16,735 hectares. Minister Ekraj Karki released these statistics, showing gradual improvement in agricultural water management.

Drinking Water Access Improvements
While 93.1% of residents now have basic drinking water access, only 34.7% receive safe, treated water. Sanitation coverage reaches 98% of the population. These figures show significant progress from 2018 levels when only 90% had basic water access and merely 15% had safe drinking water.

Ongoing Water Projects
The provincial government currently operates 1,491 drinking water projects across ten districts including Jhapa, Ilam, and Morang. Five multi-year projects have been completed, with water sources secured for fifteen others. Special programs like "One Household One Tap" and lifting water schemes (39 projects) aim to improve service quality.

Energy Sector Developments
Koshi Province has 95.3 MW of installed energy capacity but harnesses only 653 MW of its 28,000 MW potential. The ministry is implementing waste-to-energy projects and has installed 482.40 km of river embankments for flood control. Land reclamation (2,892 hectares) and landslide control (98 sites) projects show additional infrastructure progress.

Financial Performance
The ministry reports 91.19% budget utilization this fiscal year with significant reduction (31.09%) in arrears. Minister Karki emphasized ongoing work to develop necessary laws and procedures for better sectoral governance.

Future Initiatives
Plans include strengthening water quality testing labs and installing "Water ATMs" (automated distribution machines) in public spaces. The province continues implementing its Water and Sanitation Plan (WAS-PLAN) across all districts to improve service delivery.

This comprehensive report highlights both achievements and challenges in Koshi Province's water, irrigation and energy sectors, showing progress since provincial establishment while identifying areas needing further development.