More 5 lakh MT rice to be produced in 5 districts

An amount of Tk 300 crore has been sanctioned for the project in the current financial year, official sources said.

The SCNND project includes re-excavation of rivers and canals and improving drainage system to flush out flood water in five districts to turn about one lakh single-crop lands into double-crop lands in 22 upazilas in the five districts. The rivers included Old and New Dakatia, Choto Feni, Muhuri, Kankri, Mamni, Naglia, Gumti and Sandwip channel.

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SCNND project is expected to produce additional five lakh tonnes of rice worth about Tk 500 core annually.

The project work will begin in the current dry season and is scheduled to be competed within the next financial year, the sources said. ECNEC approved the project at its meeting on October 22, the sources said.

The project has been approved following initiatives by local lawmaker Manirul Haque Chowdhury along with other MPs from greater Comilla and Noakhali districts, they said.

A day-long roundtable held at Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) here in 2002 and participated by three ministers and a dozen lawmakers from the five districts highly appreciated the project after discussing its potentials and socio-economic prospect, the sources said.

The 22 upazilas to be benefitted are Comilla Sadar, Laksam, Chwoddagram, Barura and Nangolkot in Comilla district; Kachua, Chandpur Sadar, Hajigonj, Shahrasthi and Faridgonj in Chandpur district; Noakhali Sadar, Begumgonj,

Companigonj, Chatkhil and Senbag in Noakhali district; Laxmipur Sadar, Ramgonj and Ramgati in Laxmipur district and Sonagazi, Dagonbhuiyan and Feni Sadar in Feni district.

Paddy cultivation in the single-crop lands in the upazilas are almost uncertain due to inadequate irrigation facilities, early flood and other natural calamities. Besides another rice crop, the project will help about 40,000 farmers in its command area to produce Rabi crops and vegetables.

It will also play a great role in socio-economic development and improve communication in the five districts, the sources said.