Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, has said the power supply in Karnali would be expanded on the basis of social justice.

Speaking at the meeting of the Infrastructure Development Committee under the House of Representatives today, Minister Pun informed that works are to be carried out from the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre as Karnali State lagged behind in terms of electrification.

Minister Shrestha said that projects including micro hydro in Jagdulla of Dolpa have done justice to Karnali and expressed commitment to carry out works to increase such projects in the current fiscal year.

He said that the projects of national pride that should have been completed eight years before eight years have been in limbo and the pace of energy sector would improve from next year as the contract was awarded in the beginning of the current fiscal year.

Stating that there was a shortage of transformers now due to delay in the purchase of transformers in the past, Minister Shrestha said such problems would be resolved by making the regulatory body responsible.

“There have been problems in the electricity system due to rainfall in the months of June, July and August and the Ministry is preparing two plans to resolve these problems. ’

Saying the rivers of religious and cultural importance should be conserved, he expressed the commitment that works like hydropower and irrigation would be done only by conserving the religious heritages situated on the banks of the rivers in the east including Uttarbahini, Kamalamai and in the east. The Energy Minister further said that the problems related to the electricity sector would be categorised into three groups—short-term, mid-term and long-term.