Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, has said policy-level and procedural obstacles were the biggest challenge to the development of energy, water resources and irrigation sector.

According to him, the expected development would not be possible without improvement in land acquisition, compensation management, resource assurance, inter-agency coordination and contract management.

Addressing the meeting of the fourth quarter and annual progress review and ministry-level development problems resolution committee of the fiscal year 2082/83 BS today, Minister Shrestha said that he got an opportunity to lead the ministry towards the final phase of the fiscal year.

According to him, the Ministry has made satisfactory physical progress despite various challenges. Minister Shrestha cited Nepal-India energy cooperation, process of transmission infrastructure expansion moving forward, decision to issue energy bond to Nepal Electricity Authority and accelerating the projects of national priority as some of the major achievements in the last fiscal year.

Stating that the current fiscal year 2083/84 has been taken as the year of opportunity and result, a base has been prepared for qualitative change through production, transmission, distribution and expansion of power trade, promotion of green energy, active participation of private sector, Nepal’s presence in regional energy market, groundwater management and effective implementation of multipurpose projects.

“Our priority is not only to increase the budget expenditure, but also to ensure result-oriented performance,” Minister Shrestha said, adding, “The ministry is fully committed to completing the national pride projects on time, expanding power generation and transmission capacity, expanding irrigation facilities throughout the year and removing structural obstacles seen in the implementation of projects.” ’

Stating that energy, water resources and irrigation sectors were the major bases for the country’s economic transformation, Minister Shrestha expressed commitment that the Ministry would move ahead with good governance, transparency, accountability, time-bound performance and coordination.

According to the progress review, the ministry spent Rs 52.28 billion out of the total budget of Rs 84.33 billion in the fiscal year 2082/83. The ministry’s financial progress has been around 62 per cent and the physical progress has reached 71.35 per cent. Similarly, the physical progress of energy sector is 63.27 per cent while that of water resources and irrigation is 79.27 per cent.

The meeting also approved the investment modality of Budhigandaki and Upper Arun hydropower projects, forwarding the process for construction of transmission lines through tariff-based competitive bidding, declaring important projects related to energy, hydropower and irrigation as national priority projects, conclusion of 13th meeting of Nepal-India Energy Secretary level mechanism, new bills related to Energy and Water Resources and approval for the issuance of energy bonds worth Rs 20 billion to Nepal Electricity Authority are some of the major achievements of the Ministry. It was done.

Similarly, the performance of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, Department of Water Resources and Irrigation and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) was satisfactory while the performance of Electricity Development Department and Water and Energy Commission was comparatively weak. Delay in resource consent, local obstruction, lack of manpower and delay in obtaining environmental clearance have been cited as the main reasons for the slow progress.

Among the national pride projects, Rani-Jamara-Kulariya, Babai and Sikta Irrigation projects have made remarkable progress while challenges in land acquisition, contract management and resource mobilization still remain in Bheri-Babai Diversion, Sunkoshi-Marin and Budhigandaki projects.

The meeting has also concluded that the success of the coming fiscal year would be possible only if land acquisition, forest and environmental clearance, resolution of the ‘right of way’ problem of transmission line, improvement in performance of contractors, guarantee of resources and effective inter-agency coordination.