By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Mar 4: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said Thursday that the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project would turn Province 2 a province of gardens ensuring irrigation facility to 120,000 hectors of land.

Laying the foundation stone of the project today in Sindhuli, the Prime Minister said that the government was working to usher in happy days for the people by speeding up development works.

He said the project had two objectives, first, to provide an irrigation facility, and second, to generate 31mw of electricity.

Addressing the programme, the Prime Minister said, "Water of the Sunkoshi River would be diverted to the Marin River through the tunnel."

Prime Minister Oli said that the project would link Madhesh (plains) and Pahad (hills) as the water from the hills would be irrigating the plains in the Terai.

He stated he was working for the development of Madhesh although some criticized him for being anti-Madheshi.

He said the project would also help protect the environment by maintaining greenery in Province 2.

"Province 2 will be able to produce fruits and vegetables, not only food grains, for export within five years, which will make Nepal a producing and exporting country," he said.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister instructed all involved in the project to complete it within the deadline. "I urge all to work honestly and diligently."

This project will bring an economic revolution and will turn all the unturned stones of possibilities to the country, said Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, while addressing the programme. 

This is a historic project for the physical infrastructural development so it needs to be timely finished, he said. Saying that the government will always move ahead on the way to economic progress and development, Minister Rayamajhi said, "The government is standing strong for the development and prosperity of the country".

Prabhu Sah, Minister of Urban Development, said, “Though Province 2 lies at the bottom on the Human Development Index (HDI), these projects will surely boost the circumstances thereby uplifting the situation of people.”

The project will directly benefit the Sindhuli district but will also indirectly support in uplifting other nearby areas of Province 2 as well.

Minister Sah further highlighted that the government is working to make the country self-sufficient for it to hold its head high.

Dormani Poudel, Chief Minister of Bagmati Province, expressed confidence that the project would make a significant contribution to the economic prosperity of the country.

He said that this project would prove to be a cornerstone not only for the province but also for the prosperity of the country. He said that the farmers of Bagmati and the districts of Province 2 would be more benefited more by this.

Lal Babu Raut, Chief Minister of Province 2, said that other economic activities would increase along with the development of physical infrastructure after the completion of the project. He expressed confidence that millions of farmers would benefit from the irrigation system in the five districts such as Bara, Rautahat, Mahottari, Sarlahi and Dhanusha of Province 2.

He said that the construction of the project would play an important role in food production in the province.