Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project will fulfill nation's dream of prosperity: Minister Bhusal

Sindhuli, Oct 14: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal expressed her confidence that the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project woul,d help fulfill the country's dream of prosperity.     

Talking to the media persons following the inspection of the under-construction national pride project in Sindhuli district today, Minister Bhusal viewed that the Project would boost the production of food items upon its completion.     

At present, the government has allocated Rs 2.70 for the Project which is expected to provide irrigation facilities to around 122,000 hectares of land in the Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, and Bara districts. The project is also expected to generate 31.7 MW of electricity.     

Minister Bhusal said, "In Nepal, the import of food items stands at around Rs 350 billion. If food production is boosted in the country, it would help retain Nepal's currency in the country. The currency would remain with the farmers here."     

She believed that once the project is completed, it would help create jobs at the local level and save the foreign-bound currencies thereby bringing about positive changes in the lives of people.     

The energy minister claimed that the Project would be fruitful to bolster agriculture production by optimizing the irrigation infrastructures of Bagmati Province for the greater good of Madhesh Province.     

The Project aims to divert 67 cubic meters of water per second from the Sunkoshi River to the Marin River at Kusumtar of Kamalamai Municipality-2 in Sindhuli.     

Similarly, Project chief Mitra Baral informed that a 13.3-kilometer tunnel would be dug within the coming 22 months under the Project that would be used to channel the water from the Sunkoshi River to the Marin River.     

Minister Bhusal was accompanied by the secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Sagar Kumar Rai, joint-secretary Baburam Bhandari, Director General at the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Susheel Chandra Acharya, among others.     

Foundation stone for the multipurpose project was laid on March 4, 2021. (RSS)