99 Irrigation Projects Underway in Baglung Under Gandaki Province Government

Baglung. In the current fiscal year, 99 irrigation projects are being operated in Baglung through the Gandaki Province government. These projects are being implemented by the Water Resources and Irrigation Development Division Office, Baglung. The work on these irrigation projects has been initiated with a budget of over Rs 150 million allocated by the provincial government.

There are 113 projects in the district this year, including 14 embankment projects. According to Subodh Nepal, Information Officer at the Water Resources and Irrigation Development Division Office, Baglung, 60 of these projects are being executed through consumer committees, while 16 are being carried out through contracts. He stated that 11 projects are in the bidding process, and the remaining are in the agreement phase.

Nepal said, “Most of the projects for this year have already entered the implementation phase, and some have even been completed. Work is currently in full swing for most projects that are required to be finished by the end of Ashar.”

According to the Water Resources and Irrigation Development Division Office, Baglung, only about 20 percent of the arable land in the district has access to irrigation facilities. Out of the total 178,400 hectares of land in the district, 46,148 hectares are arable.

The Water Resources and Irrigation Development Division Office, Baglung, reported that farming is currently being conducted on 30,564 hectares. Information Officer Nepal informed that irrigation facilities have reached 6,913 hectares of land so far, while the area with year-round irrigation coverage is 2,815 hectares.

Although some areas in Baglung are flat, most of the terrain is steep. Lead farmer Prem Prasad Kandel stated that production has not been increased due to the lack of effective irrigation facilities in most parts of the district.