RAJSHAHI, July 21 (BSS): The Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has realised around Tk 1.50 billion (Tk 150.21 crore) as irrigation charge in the last 2014-15 fiscal, less by Tk 282.2 million over the previous 2013-14 fiscal.
Recovery of less irrigation charge indicates that the farmers got more rainfall this year than the previous years for their farming fields which is a positive sign of lessening pressure on groundwater to some extent.
According to the sources concerned, over 0.75 million (7.58 lakh) hectares including 0.28 million (2.87 lakh) hectares of irri-boro lands were brought under irrigation facilities through operating 14,336 power-driven deep tube wells (DTWs) in almost everywhere in the country's northwest region.
The irrigated lands have yielded around 3.43 million (34.32 lakh) tonnes including 6.10 million (61.08 lakh) tonnes of additional crops especially food grain in the region especially the vast Barind tract yearly.
Engineer Kamal Uddin, Executive Director of BMDA, told the news agency that the region scored 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 25 years back, only a single crop could be 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 area of the total cultivable lands of the region has, so far, been brought under the irrigation facilities. Prior to the inception of BMDA the number of DTWs was only 500 in total irrigated area of about 5,000 hectares. At that time, the farmers had to depend on mercy of rainwater for the cultivation.
Now, the number of DTWs has enhanced at 14,336 in the command areas irrigating 0.75 million (7.58 lakh) hectares of crop lands round the year benefiting more than 0.56 million (5.60 lakh) farmer families.
In addition to the irrigation activities, the BMDA has been implementing various need-oriented uplift programs aimed at improving the socioeconomic conditions by increasing crop production side by side protecting the region from adverse impact of the environment. It has already executed 30 projects under its command areas from 1985-86 to 2014-15.
Currently, nine other projects are being implemented in different districts and around 80 percent of the total work has been completed while the rest is expected to be executed in phases by June 2017.
Kamal Uddin mentioned that some of the projects had initially been executed with the government funds. But, now the BMDA has been implementing the projects with its own funds along with payment of monthly staff salaries since the last couple of years.
