MP Jagdish Kharel Expresses Concern Over National Pride Projects' Slow Progress

Kathmandu. Member of Parliament Jagdish Kharel has expressed concern over the work progress of national pride projects. Speaking in the meeting of the Finance Committee under the House of Representatives, MP Kharel expressed such concern. He raised questions about the working style of the National Planning Commission and the government, especially regarding the plight of the Budhigandaki Hydropower Project. 'It has been 13 years since the Budhigandaki project started, but so far only 10 percent progress has been made. How can the remaining 90 percent of the work be completed in the next 5 years?', Kharel questioned, 'Your reports are deceiving the public. Distributing dreams of 90 percent when there is a situation where even 10 percent cannot be completed in 5 years is irresponsibility.' Kharel objected to the Upper Tamakoshi project being made a recruitment center. He argued that the project's financial health has been crippled by the situation where the 456 MW project provides only 80 MW of electricity in winter and has to support 320 employees. He added, 'With a budget of 1.4 million, which tunnel will be dug? Such fragmented budgets do not get work done, they only facilitate snacking. To make pride projects truly a matter of pride, monitor and deploy technically capable manpower.'