Sikta Irrigation Project Achieves 46 Percent Physical Progress in 20 Years

The Sikta Irrigation Project, a national pride project under construction in Banke district, has achieved 46 percent physical progress since its inception two decades ago. Established in Fiscal Year 2005/06, construction began in the same fiscal year.

Project Director Raju Acharya said total expenditures from the start of the project up to now have reached Rs 23.77 billion. According to him, this represents 44.95 percent financial progress and 46 percent physical progress of the master plan.

For the current fiscal year, the government has approved a budget of Rs 330.59 million. However, Director Acharya noted that the project has received only Rs 157 million.

“According to details available up to mid-April in the current fiscal year, total expenditures have reached Rs 85.77 million,” Acharya said. “During this period, the project has achieved 76.31 percent physical progress and 54.48 percent financial progress.”

The project, which operates by constructing a barrage on the Rapti River at Agaiya in Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality-2, aims to irrigate 42,766 hectares of land in the district. Project Director Acharya informed that by mid-April in Fiscal Year 2025/26, direct irrigation facilities had reached 24,000 hectares.

According to Manoj Kumar Sah, Information Officer and Senior Divisional Engineer at the project, this multi-year project originally had its master plan approved on November 19, 2007, with an estimated cost of Rs 12.80 billion, targeting completion by the end of Fiscal Year 2013/14.

Engineer Sah said the plan envisioned completing the project in three phases, with the first two phases estimated to cost Rs 12.80 billion. As the third phase cost was not included, a revised master plan was approved in Fiscal Year 2014/15 with a budget of Rs 25.02 billion. That plan included constructing the eastern main canal to provide irrigation to 9,000 hectares on the east side of the Rapti River, along with other necessary structures, aiming for completion by Fiscal Year 2019/20.

After failing to achieve the targets of the latest procurement master plan, which also aimed for completion in Fiscal Year 2019/20, a directive was issued to propose an extension of the updated procurement master plan within the same cost. Accordingly, a revised master plan was approved by the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation in September 2022. The updated plan, which includes a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and cost estimates for remaining work, projects a total cost of Rs 52.64 billion and aims to complete all work by Fiscal Year 2032/33.

Information Officer Sah stated that the project is expected to benefit 400,000 farmers from 17,000 families in Banke district. He noted the estimated internal rate of return for the project is 18 percent, and it aims to increase cropping intensity from 168 percent to 242 percent.

Engineer Tanoj Dulal of the project said the Sikta Irrigation Project, operated via a barrage on the Rapti River at Agaiya, targets irrigating 42,766 hectares. Water is distributed through two main canals—the Western Canal and the Eastern Canal—with branch canals carrying water further.

The target is to irrigate 33,766 hectares via the Western Main Canal and 9,000 hectares via the Eastern Canal. Engineer Dulal informed that out of 440 hectares required for land acquisition for canal structures, 183.25 hectares have been acquired so far.

This fiscal year, the cost estimate for the main Duduwa branch of the Western Main Canal has been completed and a tender has been called. Engineer Dulal added that the Duduwa Branch Canal, targeting approximately 16,000 hectares of the 33,766-hectare irrigated area on the western side—considered the project’s backbone—is under construction. About 25 percent progress has been achieved so far, and construction of the Duduwa Culvert has been fully completed.

The project has also accelerated construction by signing contracts for the Sidhaniya, Prisenipur, and Akalgharwa branch canals. According to Engineer Dulal, preparatory work is underway for the sub-branches at Guruwa Village and Akalgarhawa, as well as for the remaining work on the Eastern Main Canal. -- RSS