Long-delayed irrigation projects remain unfinished as drought hits Madhesh, raising fears of a looming food crisis.

Kathmandu, July 25

As Madhesh suffers from severe drought during the crucial rice planting season, criticism is growing over the government’s repeated failure to complete key irrigation projects—even after decades of promises.

The government recently declared eight districts in Madhesh Province as disaster-affected due to the prolonged drought. Yet, in this major rice-producing region, more than half of the farmland still lacks irrigation. Farmers are being forced to wait for rain, with no reliable water supply in place.

Successive governments have promised year-round irrigation, and even launched so-called “national pride” projects. But major projects like Sikta, Bheri–Babai Diversion, and Rani Jamara Kulariya remain incomplete, highlighting the state’s inability to provide basic water security to its agricultural core.

According to the Economic Survey 2081/82 BS, only 62.28% of Nepal’s 2.5 million hectares of land suitable for irrigation actually has access to water. Out of 3.5 million hectares of total farmland, just 44.4% is irrigated.

Even though the national budget has grown by 13.6% per year over the last decade, the expansion of irrigated land has crawled at just 1.5% annually—a clear sign that money is being spent without results.

A Closer Look at the Delays

This week, lawmakers in Parliament raised serious concerns about the impact of the drought on food security. Many argued that declaring disaster zones isn’t enough—they demanded an end to political interference in water management. Here's where the major irrigation projects currently stand:

Sikta Irrigation Project

  • Launched: 2062/63 BS (after feasibility study in 1975/76)

  • Goal: Irrigate 42,000 hectares in Banke

  • Original cost: Rs 7.45 billion → Revised to Rs 52.64 billion

  • Current progress: Only 42% complete as of March 2025

  • New completion target: 2089/90 BS

Bheri–Babai Diversion Project

  • Launched: 2071/72 BS (after 1998 feasibility study)

  • Purpose: Year-round irrigation + 46.8 MW electricity

  • Goal: Irrigate 51,000 hectares in Banke and Bardiya

  • Current progress: 67.5%

  • Revised budget: Rs 36.8 billion

  • Target completion: 2084/85 BS

Rani Jamara Kulariya Project

  • Modern version of a 120-year-old system

  • Launched: 2066/67 BS

  • Goal: Irrigate 14,300 hectares in Kailali; benefit 140,000 people

  • Budget: Rs 29.59 billion

  • Progress: 76.1%

  • Completion target: 2085/86 BS

Babai Irrigation Project

  • Launched: 2045/46 BS

  • Goal: Irrigate 36,000 hectares in Bardiya

  • Budget: Rs 18.96 billion (Rs 13.43 billion already spent)

  • Progress: 75.52%

  • Unlikely to finish by 2082/83 BS

Sunkoshi–Marin Diversion Project

  • Goal: Divert water via 13.3 km tunnel for 122,000 hectares across five districts

  • Tunnel breakthrough: Achieved in April 2025

  • Progress: Just 35.38%

  • Estimated cost: Rs 49.42 billion

Mahakali Irrigation Project

  • Launched: 2063/64 BS, became national pride project in 2077 BS

  • Goal: Irrigate 33,520 hectares in Kanchanpur

  • Budget: Rs 35 billion

  • Progress: Only 24.22%

  • Completed: 30 km main canal + 12 km branch canal

Why the Delays?

A government-commissioned report led by former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal blames poor planning, weak coordination, and slow implementation for the ongoing failures. It warns that farmers are being denied long-promised irrigation benefits because of persistent mismanagement.

The report urges the government to:

  • Properly fund and speed up national pride projects like Rani Jamara and Babai

  • Expand surface irrigation in fertile areas

  • Invest in water reservoirs and inter-basin water transfers

While the government continues to increase its development budget, the ground reality—especially in agriculture—tells a different story. With Madhesh waiting anxiously for rain, the question remains: How long will farmers be left at the mercy of the sky, while irrigation projects keep draining the country’s resources without delivering results?


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