KATHMANDU, NOV 12 - The Ministry of Irrigation is all set to execute two major irrigation projects in the far-western region and along the southern Tarai belt this year. The plans include installation of over 100,000 shallow tubewells in all water crisis-hit Tarai villages and implementation of an irrigation project in Kailali district to harness the Karnali River.

Kularia Rani-Jamara irrigation project, aims to irrigate a catchment area of 45,000 hectares in Tikapur of Kailai. Construction will start this year, said Minister for Irrigation Bal Krishna Khand.

“We have already set up an office at Tikapur to execute the project. Once completed, it will be the single largest irrigation project in the entire far-western region,” said Khand. The project is expected to be completed within the next eight years at a cost of Rs. eight billion.

The government will mobilise domestic resources, including manual labour, to complete the first phase of the project, which is expected to take at least three years. After the first phase in which necessary infrastructure will be set up, the World Bank and Saudi Fund will join in with financing to take the project ahead, according to Khand. Detailed survey has already been completed and the ministry will soon be starting primary bidding process. A government source said most of the preparations for the shallow tubewell project have been completed. “The project, which has since long been pending at the ministry, will be launched next year. It is expected to fulfill the irrigation needs of rural areas in the Tarai,” he said.

Unlike in Kathmandu, there is no need to recharge ground water facilities in the Tarai. A single tubewell can irrigate at least a two-and-half-hectare command area. Internal sources will be used at the initial stage, and some external sources will be mobilised later, Khand said. Breaking the tradition of providing subsidiary to farmers for installing tubewells, the government, will bear the entire cost of installation.

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