Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka said, “People’s sweat is sold, but blood cannot be sold.”

Minister Khadka expressed his determination that the government would leave no stone unturned in the journey to make the country prosperous by getting a fair price for the electricity produced.

Speaking at a programme organised under the aegis of Samriddhi Energy Pvt Ltd for financial management of the project, Minister Khadka said the enthusiastic participation of the private sector has added new hope to the energy sector. “All the financial management required for the construction has passed. Now the project has been forwarded with the belief that it will be completed on time,” said Minister Khadka.

He said the Ministry of Energy was moving ahead at a rapid pace with the understanding that the energy sector is the basis of the country’s long-term prosperity. “We don’t give space to the tendency to discourage the private sector. Barriers based on understanding and suffering will no longer stop development,” he stressed.

Minister Khadka said that although the private sector has been discouraged due to problems such as the power purchase agreement PPA has been stalled for a long time, the market is not sure and the lack of transmission lines, these obstacles are now gradually being removed. “There is a possibility of consuming 13,500 MW of electricity in the country. With India and Bangladesh already starting exports, the trend of not utilizing our resources and products will leave the country behind,” said Minister Khadka.

“We want to bring prosperity by selling the sweat of the people, but there is no question of selling blood,” he said, expressing the belief that sustainable economic development would be possible by utilizing national resources on time. He also said that the government should take the responsibility of resolving the problems seen in such projects.

Chief Executive Officer of Samriddhi Energy Shailendra Guragain and Kumari Bank’s Ram Chandra Khanal signed the financial management agreement on the occasion.