RAJSHAHI, April 28, 2022 (BSS) - Nepalese Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal has lauded the irrigation management system of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), showing interest to follow its irrigation method in agriculture in her country.

"We will put in our best efforts to attain success in the agriculture sector after following the BMDA's irrigation process," she said.

She said this as chief guest at a meeting participated by a high-level Nepalese delegation led by her at BMDA conference hall here yesterday.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and BMDA jointly organized the function to share knowledge on the Barind tube-well irrigation management system.

The Nepalese minister expressed satisfaction over irrigation system during the daylong visit to various installations in BMDA areas.

Bhusal said they have plain land like Bangladesh and they will pursue the best practices of irrigation activities along with other development and production works of BMDA in her country.

Earlier, a 10-member high-level Nepalese delegation went round the irrigation management activities, including underground water extraction process through deep tube-wells, supplying it to the farmers' fields, using of prepaid meters and supplying of drinking water, in the drought-prone Barind area.

With BMDA Chairman Begum Akhter Jahan in the chair, its Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid gave an illustration about their promotional activities.

The Nepalese delegation included Planning Commission Member Surendra Labh Karna, Secretary to the Water Resource Ministry Devendra Karki, Water Resource Director General Susheel Chandra Acharya, Project Director Dipendra Laudari and ADB Consultants Ashish Bhadra Khal and Dr Asaduz Zaman.

Abdur Rashid appraised the delegation that BMDA has provided irrigation to over 1.07 lakh hectares of croplands in the country's northwest region during the last nine months contributing a lot to boosting production.
 
The huge croplands comes under irrigation facilities through 13,203 power-driven deep tube wells (DTWs) and 337 low lift pumps in almost round the year, he said.
 
Rashid also said the irrigated lands yields more than 34.32 lakh tonnes crops including 26.76 lakh additional in the region especially in the vast Barind tract yearly.
 
Till March last, the BMDA activated 4,332 inoperative deep tube-wells, installed 11,474 deep tube-wells and 601 low lift pumps, re-excavated 2093.32-kilometer canals and 3451 derelict ponds, he added.
 
It has also constructed and expanded 12413.56-kilometer water distribution infrastructures alongside setting up 1579 drinking water supply installations, 578 dug wells and 749 cross-dams, which ensured a sound irrigation system here, Rashid continued.