Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said policy-level works would be prioritized for the reform of energy sector.

During a meeting with office-bearers of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) on Friday, Minister Khatiwada said that the government was moving towards policy-level reforms in energy sector, adding that there were challenges along with potential.

Minister Shrestha said that consumption strategy should be equally pursued along with energy production. He said that a realistic study of domestic and industrial demand was necessary. Energy sector should be linked with production, making it the basis for economic development, he stressed. “Energy is a raw material and it should be linked to the product,” he said.

Stating that the role of the government was to facilitate it, he said a policy would be adopted to make the private sector forward in development. He pledged to advance the energy sector from a multi-dimensional perspective by increasing the participation of private sector. Urging the industrialists and entrepreneurs to come forward with solution and not only problem, he urged them to use economy diplomacy as an important means of energy development.

Minister Shrestha said that the government was sensitive to the concerns of the private sector and was ready to collaborate for reforms in the country. He sought suggestions from the private sector along with a clear action plan ‘checklist’ for this.

Saying a clear role and participatory model was needed between the government and the private sector for energy security, Minister Shrestha said that the weaknesses and wrong practices seen in both the public and private sectors should be corrected.

In course of the discussions, Nikki suggested changing policy priorities, creating investment-friendly environment and simplifying the approval process to improve Nepal’s hydropower sector. Association President Sunil KC said that the Indian investment in Nepal in the last two decades was less than the expectation and this has proved the need of reform.

Nikkei pointed out that a strategic shift is needed to prioritise broadcasting infrastructure and electricity trading over traditional models. The meeting also proposed to organize Nepal-India Energy Forum in New Delhi, where both the governments would facilitate and private sector would invest. Nikki has demanded that the long-stalled power trade permit be extended.