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The government has set new deadlines to complete six national pride irrigation projects, some of which were launched nearly four decades ago, with most targeted for completion within the next two to five years.

The government plans to complete the Babai Irrigation and Bheri-Babai Diversion projects within the next two years, while the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion, Sikta Irrigation and Rani Jamara-Kulariya Irrigation projects are targeted for completion within five years. The Mahakali Irrigation Project is scheduled to be completed by fiscal year (FY) 2034/35.

The slow pace of construction of these projects, many of which have been delayed for years for various reasons, has emerged as a major concern. The government now plans to accelerate work to meet the revised completion targets.

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) said it has prepared an action plan to complete the projects within the specified timeframes.

Engineer Mohan Kumar Shakya, head of the ministry’s Planning Division and joint secretary, announced the targets at a press briefing on Tuesday following discussions with project chiefs on the current status and future plans of the six projects.

Shakya said the action plan was prepared after reviewing the progress, problems and challenges facing each project.

The MoEWRI held a meeting chaired by Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha to review the status of the six national pride projects. The meeting was attended by the ministry secretary, division chiefs, advisers, representatives from the Cabinet, project chiefs, and the director general and deputy director general of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation.

The Babai Irrigation Project in Bardiya, which began in FY 1988/89, has entered its final stage and is expected to be completed within two years. The project aims to provide irrigation to 36,000 hectares, of which 28,800 hectares currently have irrigation facilities.

The project has an estimated cost of Rs 26.69 billion, of which Rs 18.21 billion has been spent so far. Its financial progress stands at 68.23 percent, while physical progress has reached 81.97 percent. The project is targeted for completion in FY 2028/29.

According to the MoEWRI, contract management, electrification of the headworks and coordination with Bardiya National Park remain the project’s major challenges.

Similarly, the Bheri-Babai Diversion Project under construction in Surkhet, Karnali Province, has an estimated cost of Rs 33.20 billion.

So far, Rs 19.30 billion has been spent on the project. Its financial progress stands at 58.6 percent and physical progress at 66.4 percent. The ministry said construction slowed due to problems with the contractor but has picked up pace recently. Shakya said an action plan has been prepared to complete the project within the next two years.

Meanwhile, work on the Rs 53 billion Sikta Irrigation Project in Banke, which has faced delays for various reasons, including problems caused by dispersive soil during canal excavation, is now progressing at a faster pace.

The Sikta Project is targeted for completion within the next five years. Rs 23 billion has been spent on the project so far, with financial progress at 44 percent and physical progress at 51 percent. The government aims to provide irrigation to 42,700 hectares through the project.

Irrigation facilities have so far been extended to 25,000 hectares. The ministry said the project continues to face technical problems caused by soil conditions and plans to address them through a technical study.

The Rani Jamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project in Kailali aims to provide irrigation to 38,300 hectares. Currently, 13,200 hectares have access to irrigation facilities. The project is also generating 4.7 megawatts of electricity.

The project has an estimated cost of around Rs 30 billion, of which Rs 22 billion has been spent so far. Its financial progress stands at 73 percent and physical progress at 75 percent.

The MoEWRI said land acquisition remains a major challenge. Difficulties in acquiring land and collecting construction materials have arisen due to dissatisfaction among locals over compensation.

Likewise, the Mahakali Irrigation Project in Kanchanpur has an estimated cost of around Rs 37 billion. So far, Rs 10.74 billion has been spent, with financial progress at 30.68 percent and physical progress at around 31 percent.

The project aims to provide irrigation to 33,500 hectares, but irrigation facilities currently cover only 5,155 hectares. According to the ministry, land acquisition and uncertainty over the volume of water to be received from India under the Mahakali Treaty are the project’s major challenges. The project is targeted for completion by FY 2034/35.

Meanwhile, work on the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project, being constructed in Sindhuli and Ramechhap, has also gained momentum, according to the ministry.

The project has a command area of 122,000 hectares and an estimated cost of Rs 61.65 billion, of which around Rs 17 billion has been spent so far. Its financial progress stands at 36 percent and physical progress at 34 percent.

According to the ministry, a major contract for the project was cancelled and a new bid worth around Rs 24 billion has been invited. The deadline for submitting bids is August 26, after which the evaluation process will begin.

The ministry aims to complete the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project within the next five years.

Planning Division head Shakya said the costs made public for the projects are their revised estimates. He attributed the delays mainly to slow progress by construction companies and repeated expansion of project scopes.

“Initially, we start projects with a limited scope, but that scope continues to expand. The scope of all the national pride projects increased, which is why they could not be completed within their targeted fiscal years,” Shakya said.

The MoEWRI is now preparing to implement these projects with clearly defined scopes, budgets and timelines. It has also said it will facilitate their implementation through necessary coordination, budget allocation and cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and the federal government to ensure that the projects are completed within the revised deadlines, in line with the minister’s directives.

By Madhu Jung Pandey