Stakeholders stress need for energy expansion

Kathmandu / April 1: Various stakeholders and participants at the one-day workshop in the Capital have stressed the need to seek the role of federal, provincial and local government for expansion of the reach of consumers to energy in consistent with the federal republic setup.

Speaking at the event organised by Nepal Energy Foundation (NEF) and the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-Nepal (ISET-Nepal) on Thursday, the participants viewed that the purview of federal, provincial and local government should be stated in laws to increase the use of energy infrastructure for economic development of the country.

On the occasion, joint secretary at the Ministry of Energy Dinesh Ghimire said that policies and laws related to energy to be formulated will ensure that big hydropower projects to be constructed through bilateral or multilateral investment will be carried at federal level.

Likewise, the projects to be constructed for providing outputs at home will be done at provincial level and alternative energy projects will be carried out at local level.

Similarly, joint secretary at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Udaya Raj Sapkota informed that 63 laws will be made within the second week of April as per the constitution and discussions were underway on the issue of authority to be given to federal, provincial and local levels.

Pointing out the need for sustainable development of energy and the expansion of access of people to energy, joint secretary at the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Jibatsha Mandal viewed that Nepal should develop its own model in hydropower.

Lkewise, Ajaya Dixit of ISET stressed the need for formulating new policies and making amendment to laws for overall development of energy.

The event also discussed separate reports on role of provincial and local government to the reach of energy and regional practice and technical management to accelerate energy access under province and local government presented by Dilli Raj Ghimire, Dil Raj Khanal and Mahesh Acharya.

The event was also attended by NEF Chairman Mohan Das Manandhar, former president of the Federation of Kathmandu District Development Committee Krishna Prasad Sapkota, spokesperson Krishna Prasad Jaisi, representative of Energy 4 All Suman Basnet, Satish Gautam of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, Energy expert Debendra Prasad Adhikari, Rojan Bajracharya of the NEF among others. RSS