RAJSHAHI, Dec 13, 2021 (BSS) - Barind Multipurpose Development Authority

(BMDA) has provided irrigation to over 5.32 lakh hectares of croplands in the
country's northwest region during the last 2020-21 fiscal contributing a lot
to boosting production.

  The huge croplands were brought under irrigation facilities through 15,537
power-driven deep tube wells (DTWs) and 519 low lift pumps in almost round
the year.

  The BMDA, the largest irrigation-providing state organisation in the
region, has earned around Taka 181.53 crore as irrigation charge in the last
fiscal.

  Engineer Abdur Rashid, Executive Director of BMDA, told BSS that the
irrigated lands have yielded more than 34.32 lakh tonnes including 26.76 lakh
tonnes of additional crops of around Taka 4,348.5 crore in the region
especially in the vast Barind tract yearly.

  Till June last, the BMDA activated 4,332 inoperative deep tube-wells,
installed 601 low lift pumps, re-excavated 2063-kilometer canals and 3257
derelict ponds.

   It has also constructed and expanded 12354.40-kilometer water distribution
infrastructures alongside setting up 1579 drinking water supply
installations, 572 dug wells and 749 cross-dams, which ensured a sound
irrigation system.

  In addition to imparting training to 1,51,097 farmers, around 2.59 crore
saplings of various fruit, timber and herbal trees were planted in the
command area to protect environment and meet the growing demands for fruits
and timber in the region.

  The region saw significant progress in the crop production sector following
the expansion of irrigation facilities along with supplying water from the
re-excavated canals and ponds.

  Even around 35 to 36 years back, only a single crop could have been
produced in the areas depending on the rainfall. But, at present, at least
three crops are being harvested by dint of the expanded irrigation
facilities.

  Around 57.57 percent of the total cultivable land of the region has, so
far, been brought under the irrigation facilities.

   During the recent past years, the BMDA has been promoting surface water
irrigation in many of the water-stressed areas in order to lessen the
gradually mounting pressure on underground water.

   Jahangir Alam Khan, Coordinator of Integrated Water Resource Management
(IWRM) Project, said promotion of surface water irrigation instead of
depending only on the groundwater-based ones is very important for the region
to mitigate water scarcity.

   BMDA has been implementing various need-oriented uplift programmes aimed
at improving the socioeconomic conditions by increasing crop production side
by side protecting the region from adverse impact of climate change.

  The implemented projects have yielded significant success in crop
production and make an ecological balance. Those are also creating jobs for
the unemployed people and also ensuring various facilities along with an
environment- friendly weather in the region.

  Yearly crop production has been enhanced to 34.32 lakh tonnes from 7.56
lakh, crop intensity to 226 percent from 117 percent while annual rainfall
rose to 64 inches from 54.99 inches.

  Currently, five other projects are being implemented in different districts
where around 50-60 percent of the total work has been completed as the rest
is expected to be executed in phases by June next year.

  Engineer Abdur Rashid mentioned that additional 68.90 lakh tonnes of food
grains are supposed to be produced in the region if the rest 5.83 lakh
hectares of non-irrigated cultivable land were brought under irrigation.