Japan Government has extended a grant amount of over Nu.630 million for rehabilitating Taklai Irrigation System in Sarpang.
The grant agreement for the project was signed this morning between JICA Bhutan Office’s Chief Representative and the Secretary of Gross National Happiness Commission here in the capital. The assistance to implement the project comes after the RGoB made a formal request to Japan during the sixth bilateral consultation in 2011.
“Agriculture is an important sector for Japanese Government to assist the Government of Bhutan. This project is the first irrigation project by the grant aid here in Bhutan and I hope this project will benefit rural people of Taklai,” said JICA Bhutan’s Chief Representative Yumiko Asakuma.
Considered as the country’s largest irrigation scheme, Taklai irrigation system is located along the river Taklai which flows through two gewogs of Chuzagang and Sershong under Gelephu Dungkhag in Sarpang. Although this irrigation facility came to these villages in 1990, most of the time it remained unproductive due to successive flooding of Taklai River and damages it caused to the system.
“Although on our part we try to come out with technical solution; we have put a lot of resources in terms of money and manpower over the past 10 years; but so far it has not been effective,” said Department of Agriculture’s Executive Engineer, Karma Tshethar.
With this grant assistance, the government plans to build a robust durable irrigation technique that will have lasting impact on farmers. These areas are known for their potentials in rice productions and farm mechanization program has been a successful story here.
The rehabilitation project of Taklai Irrigation System is expected to irrigate over 3,200 acres of paddy fields and benefit 500 households with food.
