Works on Upper Arun Hydroelectricity Project will be started soon: Energy Minister

Khandbari (Sankhuwasabha), September 10 — Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka has said that works on the Upper Arun Hydropower Project would be started soon. 

Addressing a press conference organized by Nepal Press Union Sankhuwasabha here today, Minister Khadka asserted that works on the Upper Arun Project would be initiated at the earliest after ensuring the financial resources for the project. 

"I have been taking the initiatives for the participation of the locals in the project with the government making arrangements for providing loans to the indigent families at concessional interest rate," he said, adding that he is making efforts to ensure that every household of Sankhuwasabha has Rs 500 thousand worth of shares in the Project. 

The Energy Minister said efforts would be made to establish this model of providing shares to the poor and underprivileged people throughout the country. He stressed on maximum utilization of the water resources available in the district for building a prosperous Sankhuwasabha.

He informed that discussions are on with the Chief District Officers of the districts concerned for addressing the delay seen in the construction of the national transmission line along the Koshi Corridor.

He also promised to carry out electrification throughout the country within the next two years, taking along the private sector in the development of hydropower projects. The Minister described the energy sector as a reliable pillar for fulfilling the national aspiration of achieving economic prosperity. 

Minister Khadka asserted the need to properly utilize water resources in the district to meet the government target of producing 28,500 megawatts of electricity within the next 10 years. As he said, Sankhuwasabha has the potential to generate approximately 5,000 megawatts of electricity. 

Stating that electricity production has been pursued together with irrigation, he said it would be helpful to the people if electricity could be provided at subsidized rate to the government hospitals, schools, and for water supply and irrigation purposes.

The Energy Minister said the dispute regarding the payment of electricity tariff for using the trunk and dedicated lines would be resolved soon as this topic has been discussed by the Parliament's Account Committee itself.

"The industrialists should pay the tariff of the electricity that they have consumed," he asserted.