Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has stressed the need to expedite the plans and programmes that can be completed within the remaining period of the current fiscal year. He issued this directive in a meeting held with the leaders of Nepal Electricity Authority, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat and Alternative Energy Promotion Centre.
Minister Shrestha said although he was not in favour of the transfer of funds, he was ready to facilitate in case the budget allocated under any heading has not been spent but it is difficult to complete any programs due to budget crunch.
He stressed on the need of formulating plans in the future so that the investment made by the state in the past should not be wasted, stressing the need of maintaining policy-level stability. The policy should be brought in for simplicity. He said that the same policy should not be a hindrance to development.
Likewise, Minister Shrestha stressed the need to formulate programmes as per the spirit of fiscal federalism and to make the country self-reliant on energy and formulate an action plan in consultation and coordination with the local levels.
Stressing the need of forwarding a strategic plan to increase the internal power consumption by classifying the existing situation of electricity consumption at industrial and domestic level, he directed to prepare a plan in coordination among the inter-agencies.
Minister Shrestha also directed to prepare and prepare the model of energy development in coordination and collaboration with universities and emphasized the need to focus on energy start-up projects in the days ahead.
Similarly, a pilot project can be set for the production of energy from waste by coordinating with the local governments, he said.
Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources Sarita Dawadi, Energy Secretary Chiranjibi Chataut, Secretary of the Energy Commission Dinanath Mishra, NEA Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya and Director of Centre Nawaraj Dhakal briefed the meeting about the problems in the energy and water resources sector and the way forward.
