BMDA implements various need-based development projects

The Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) have been implementing various need-based projects to improve the socio-economic conditions and protect the environment in the vast Barind area in northern Bangladesh.
Officials said here on Friday that implementation of some projects during the last nearly two decades came out with desired crop production side by side with safe-drinking water and concrete roads in the region.
The BMDA already executed eight big projects by spending around Taka 756.21 crore under its command areas in 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts from 1985-86 to 2003-04.
Now, they said, nine other projects are being implemented in all the 16 districts under Rajshahi division including the 25 upazilas at an estimated cost of about Taka 1089.88 crore since 2004. Around half of the total works has been completed while the rest is expected to be finished in phases by 2013.
Talking to BSS, Executive Director of the BMDA Engineer Abdul Mannan said some projects had initially been executed with the government funds.
Now the BMDA has been implementing the projects with its own resources along with payment of monthly staff salaries since the last couple of years, he said.
After evaluating the success and the progress of the BMDA in irrigation management, it was given the responsibilities of rehabilitating 4466 non-functional deep tubewells under the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) throughout the northern region.
The ongoing projects of BMDA include Barind rain water conservation and irrigation, deep tubewells (DTWs) installation, barind integrated area development, rehabilitation of the non- functional deep tubewells for irrigation purposes, command area development and training, farmers level quality seed production, drinking water supply from irrigation DTWs and Barind environmental balance restoration through afforestation.
He said 14 other time-fitting projects with involvement of around Taka 1390.34 crore is on pipeline at present.
Engineer Mannan said execution of the projects had yielded a significant success in crop production, creation of ecological balance, road communication and development of socio- economic condition leading to raising the standard of life and living of the targeted people.
He mentioned that crop intensity has been enhanced to 214.88 percent from 117 percent while annual rainfall stood to 62.66 inches from 54.99 inches.
Around 18.91 lakh tonnes of rice valued at around Taka 1,200 crore are being produced from 2.24 lakh hectares of land in the region annually, he said adding that if the total 5.83 lakh hectares of land were brought under the irrigation facilities additional 45.38 lakh metric tons of rice could be produced.
Officials said before the inception of BMDA, the number of DTWs was only 500 with total irrigated area of about 5,000 hectares. At that time, the farmers had to depend on the mercy of rainwater for crop production.
Now, they said, the number of power-driven DTWs is 11,715 in the command areas with the total irrigated area of 4,47,743 hectares in the region till May last. Some 9442 irrigation-water distribution infrastructures were also constructed.
Under the pond and canal digging programme, they said, 2,792 ponds and 830.33 kilometers of derelict canals were re-excavated making them fit for fish culture and irrigation. A total of 505 cross-dams have also been constructed to preserve surface water in the canals round the year.

Courtesy of The Bangladesh Today