National Pride Projects of Irrigation Expand Their Reach

Kathmandu: A number of national pride projects related to irrigation have started extending their service areas.

According to the latest data from the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation (DoWRI), the Sikta Irrigation Project (Banke) has extended surface irrigation facilities to an additional 100 hectares of land, while the Babai Irrigation Project (Bardiya) has covered an additional 50 hectares.

The Sikta project has already invited tenders for four contracts, with an estimated cost of Rs 540.3 million. The project aims to invite tenders for 17 contracts—worth Rs 2.483 billion—by the mid-January 2027, with a target of providing irrigation to 300 hectares. Ram Prasad Paudel, information officer at the department, stated that the Babai project has also set a target to extend irrigation to 300 hectares within the stipulated time period.

According to the DoWRI, the Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project in Tikapur (Kailali) has invited tenders for six contracts, with an estimated cost of Rs 1.33 billion. The physical progress of the project rose from eight percent as of mid-August to 15 percent by mid-September.

During the same period, financial progress also increased from 5.25 percent to 11.43 percent. The project aims to invite tenders for 12 contracts (worth Rs 2.3 billion), construct 1.5 kilometers of embankments, and reclaim 160 hectares of land within the set time period.

The Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project has achieved 3.4 percent physical progress and 3.49 percent financial progress as of the end of Bhadra. The project plans to invite four tenders, worth 610 million rupees, by the end of Poush.

Meanwhile, the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project has set a target of establishing lift irrigation covering 97 hectares and constructing 6.18 kilometers of embankments by mid-January 2027.