Indian-supported irrigation to boost cash crops in Champassak
Indian-supported irrigation to boost cash crops in Champassak
A new irrigation project supported by the government of India will significantly boost the cash crop cultivation for sale in the southern Lao province of Champassak.
Work completion and a handover certificate for the Champassak Irrigation project took place last week at the Presidential Palace (Hor Kham) in Vientiane in the presence of Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachit and his Indian counterpart Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari.
The Indian Vice President was in Laos for a two-day official visit from September 17-18 in response to an invitation from Mr Bounnhang.
At the handover ceremony, the certificate was presented by Director General of the Department of Irrigation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, Mr Maykong Phonephommavong to Mr R.K. Gupta, Chairman Cum Managing Director of Indian's WAPCOS Limited, which is the project developer.
The construction of the project, which comprises six irrigation schemes, was done by an Indian Company named M/S Angelique International Limited, New Delhi, India.
The ceremony was also attended by Mr Sanwar Lal Jat, Minister of State, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India, Members of Parliament, Secretary (East), Mr Anil Wadhwa and Additional Secretary Mrs Monika Kapil Mohta, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and other senior officials and delegates from both sides.
The US$17.34 million project developed six large irrigation schemes namely Savang, Sakmuang, Thaphosy, Somhong, Ban He and Muangsen irrigation schemes.
This project will serve 17 villages in six districts of Champassak province, with a total command area of 5953 hectares.
Earlier, there was only one crop grown by the farmers during the rainy season but with these new schemes now operational, farmers shall be able to harvest two to three crops per year. This project will contribute immensely towards socio-economic growth in Laos, according to the officials concerned.
Besides this project, WAPCOS is also project management consultant for the “Construction of Storage Dams and the Development of Irrigation Systems” for Nam Xang Dam in Xayaboury Province and Nam Nga Dam in Vientiane Province.
It also manages the “23o kV Double Circuit and 115 KV Multi Circuit Transmission Line and associated Substation Projects (Thabok-Nabong-Khoksaad)” as well as the construction of the 6MW Namsong Hydropwer Project and 115 kV Double Circuit Transmission Line Project and Associated Substations (Paksong/Jiangxai/Bangyo) as well as the purchase of equipment for rural electrification.
WAPCOS Limited is a Government of India Enterprise under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
