Kathmandu, June 11 Indian government today resealed Rs 99.2 million for installation of 2,700 shallow tube well irrigation systems in Nepal. India’s Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri today handed over a cheque to Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Sanjay Sharma at Singha Durbar as final payment for the Nepal-Bharat Maitri Irrigation Project, according to a statement issued by the embassy. Shallow tube well irrigation systems will be installed in 12 districts — Saptari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Rupendehi, Kapilvastu, Dang, Kailali and Kanchanpur. With this payment, the Government of India has released a total of Rs 227.6 million to the Government of Nepal for implementing the project. The project will ensure round-the-year irrigation facility to about 8,115-hectare arable land, augment productivity of wheat, rice and seasonal fruits, vegetables and other crops and uplift the socio-economic status of farmers in the twelve districts covered by the project, read the statement. Recognising the scope for improving agriculture productivity in Nepal, the Government of India has been partnering with the Government of Nepal for development of deep tube wells and shallow tube wells in various regions of Nepal for several years. In 2004, India supported the development of 1,000 STWs in Dhanusha and Mahottari districts at a project cost of Rs 88.7 million. As many as 3,000 households benefited from the project and provided irrigation facility to 3,000 hectares of arable land. Similarly, 22 DTWs were developed in 2008 in Jhapa, Sunsari, Saptari, and Siraha districts at a total cost of Rs 88.4 million, benefiting around 1,100 households. Likewise, 350 STWs were also been installed in Siraha at a total cost of Rs 24.7 million from which around 950 households benefited, according to the statement.