Sikta Irrigation Project in Banke Achieves 46 Percent Physical Progress Over Two Decades

Banke. Two decades after the commencement of the national pride Sikta Irrigation Project in Banke, the project has achieved 46 percent physical progress. Established in the fiscal year 2061/62, construction began that same year.

Sikta Irrigation Project Director Raju Acharya stated that the total expenditure since the project's inception has reached Rs 23.77 billion. According to him, this represents 44.95 percent financial and 46 percent physical progress compared to the total master plan.

Acharya noted that while a budget of Rs 3.30 billion was proposed for the current fiscal year as per the approved master plan, the project only received Rs 1.57 billion.

“According to the details up to the end of Chaitra of the current fiscal year, a total of Rs 857.79 million has been spent,” he said, “Data for this period shows the project has achieved 76.31 percent physical progress and 54.48 percent financial progress.”

The project, which operates by constructing a dam on the Rapti River at Agaiya in Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality-2, aims to provide irrigation to 42,766 hectares of land in the district. Director Acharya informed that as of the end of Chaitra, 2082/83, direct irrigation facilities have reached 24,000 hectares of land.

According to Information Officer and Senior Divisional Engineer Manoj Kumar Sah, the multi-year project was initially approved on 3 Mangsir, 2064, with a budget of Rs 12.80 billion, aiming for completion by the end of the fiscal year 2070/71.

He informed that the project was planned to be completed in three phases, with the first and second phases estimated at Rs 12.80 billion.

In the fiscal year 2071/72, a revised master plan of Rs 25.02 billion was approved to be completed by the fiscal year 2076/77, including the construction of the eastern main canal to benefit 9,000 hectares of land east of the Rapti River, excluding the third phase costs.

Following the failure to meet the targets set for the fiscal year 2076/77, a decision was made to resubmit a proposal for extending the deadline of the updated procurement master plan within the same cost.

Accordingly, Information Officer Sah informed that in Bhadra, 2079, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation approved an updated revised master plan under Rule 7 of the Public Procurement Regulations 2064, with an estimated cost of Rs 52.64 billion, aiming to complete all work by the fiscal year 2089/90.

According to Information Officer Sah, 400,000 farmers from 17,000 families in Banke are expected to benefit from the project. He stated that the project's estimated internal rate of return is 18 percent, with a goal to increase crop intensity from 168 percent to 242 percent.

Project Engineer Tanoj Dulal stated that the project aims to irrigate 42,766 hectares of land. Water is distributed through two main canals—the western and eastern canals—and then through branch canals.

The target is to irrigate 33,766 hectares from the western main canal and 9,000 hectares from the eastern canal. Out of the 440 hectares required for canal structures, 183.25 hectares have been acquired so far. Engineer Dulal informed that the cost estimate for the main Dudhuwa branch of the western main canal has been completed and the tender has been called in the current fiscal year.

Engineer Dulal mentioned that the Dudhuwa branch canal is being constructed to target about 16,000 hectares out of the 33,766 hectares of the western irrigated area, which is considered the backbone of the project. So far, about 25 percent progress has been achieved, and the construction of the Dudhuwa cap is fully complete.

The project has accelerated construction by signing contracts for the Sidhaniya, Prasenipur, and Akalgharwa branch canals. Engineer Dulal informed that preparations are underway for the remaining work on the Guruwagaun and Akalgarhawa sub-branches and the eastern main canal.