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Kathmandu Saturday July 07, 2001 Ashadh 23, 2058.
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ADB’s support to TISP
imminent
By Prem Khanal
KATHMANDU, July 6 - Spurred on by the success of
a multi-million Second Irrigation Sector Project (SISP), which is in the final year of
completion, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the principal lender of the project, is most
likely to support for Third Irrigation Sector Project (TISP).
SISP, one of the national priority projects, was
initiated in 1996 with a loan assistance of US $ 25 million from ADB and $ 4.2 million
from the government. The project, which also mobilized the labour of the local consumers
worth $ 4.1 million, has set a target to extend sustainable irrigation facility to 41,000
hectares of land of 35 districts of the Eastern and Central Development Regions.
Ajaya Kumar Pokharel, Coordinator of the project
said that most of the targets set by the project would be fulfilled within June 2000.
There is high possibility that the ADB and the government would start similar third
project immediately after the termination of the SISP. "Despite some problems, the
ADB is positive on initiating the Third Irrigation Sector Project," he said.
He also said that there are still many probable
and potential local irrigation projects in the pipeline that could be included in TISP.
Sources informed that a 2-member Fact-Finding
Mission is arriving here in the near future, which will thoroughly examine the ongoing
projects and will conduct feasibility study for the TISP.
Though the SISP is successful in achieving most
of its targets, there are many problems to be resolved to ensure continued support from
donors. Concerned people say that political intervention and inability of Local Consumer
Group (LCG) to fulfill their commitment are some other major problems of the project.
As per the project rule, LCG should make certain
commitment of its contribution to the project, which requires 10 and 15 per cent of
rehabilitation of traditional irrigation and new construction of the total estimated cost
respectively. The rule requires LCG to contribute 30 per cent of their commitment before
any government fund is released for the project.
However, in some projects, LCG has failed to
fulfill their commitment, due to which some of the projects faced tough problems and some
even remained incomplete.
Pokheral said that the main cause of such
problems was laxity in the rule. He said "Now, we have started to follow the project
rule strictly and LCG must fulfill their commitment to realize government’s
investment."
Another problem is the forced allocation of
maintenance expenditure after the completion of project. LCG itself should raise funds for
maintenance. However, in some cases, top political leaders influence the projects to
release maintenance amount, which has greatly eroded the sense of responsibility of local
consumers.
Similarly, growing practice of ‘top down
approach’ is another emerging problem, which is against the basic principle of the
project that stress on ‘bottom up approach’ which means local people themselves
should first identify and demand such project.
However, political figures use their clout to
take such project to their own constituencies, in some cases even without the notice of
the Department of Irrigation. Recent studies have shown that low people participation in
such project result in low output.
Similarly, the government has initiated
preliminary homework to extend period of Nepal Irrigation Sector Project (NISP), another
multi-million national priority project, funded by the World Bank, since one year. The
main purpose of the extension of NISP, which is undertaking various irrigation and
agriculture related activities in 40 districts of the country, is to fulfill the growing
demand of local people.
The total budget allocated for the current
fiscal year is Rs 1.16 billion out of which the project estimates to expend Rs 950
million. The principal objective of the project is to reform and strengthen Farmer Managed
Irrigation System (FMIS) and to formulate long-term water resources strategy.
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