Minister Shrestha Prioritizes Completing Stalled Irrigation Projects Over New Initiatives

Kathmandu. Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, has stated that his primary goal is to complete long-stalled projects rather than initiating new ones that would impose additional financial burdens on the country. He expressed this view during a discussion with officials from the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation on Friday.

Emphasizing the need to categorize problems and find solutions, Minister Shrestha directed subordinate officials to perform their duties effectively, promising to handle tasks at the ministerial level himself. 'It is not about who sits in the chair, but what the responsibility of the person in that chair is and how well they are fulfilling it,' Minister Shrestha said. 'Let us work together so that the public can feel the improvements and see results within the remaining three months of the current fiscal year.'

Minister Shrestha stated that there should be a collaborative effort to identify financial, administrative, and structural improvements, and that everyone must strive to meet goals by maximizing the use of their skills, capacity, and budget.

Noting that the impact of rising foreign currency exchange rates on development projects has yet to be fully realized, he urged everyone to focus on completing projects on time. He raised concerns about irrigation projects remaining unfinished for three decades, questioning who will benefit from development if major projects cannot be completed for years. 'Is budget the only problem?' the Minister asked, noting that budget constraints are often cited as the primary issue in development projects.

During the discussion, Water Resources Secretary Sarita Dawadi noted that the question of why irrigation projects are not completed on time is raised everywhere, emphasizing that the nature of work for national pride projects should differ from other projects. She stated that since issues like land acquisition and tree felling are common problems for development projects, national pride projects should be given special priority.

Currently, there are six national pride projects under the department, including the Babai Irrigation Project, Sikta Irrigation, Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project, and the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project.

The department is currently constructing various projects through 215 contracts. Department Director General Mitra Baral informed the meeting that out of these, 33 contracts were problematic, and 22 have already been terminated. The overall financial progress of the offices under the department for the current fiscal year is approximately 29 percent.