Various speakers have stressed the need to place emphasis on both foreign and domestic investment for the development of hydropower in Nepal.
At a programme titled ‘Foreign investment and interest in hydropower of Nepal’ organised here on Wednesday, they said the domestic investment should be spurred allowing every Nepali to flow capital amounting five per cent of his/her income to this sector.
Presenting a working paper, Prof Dr Hari Pandit said Nepal has possessed knowledge and plan to generate electricity but the state must come up with demonstrated willpower to that end.
On the occasion, CPN-Maoist Secretary Dev Gurung, CPN-Maoist standing committee member Dharmendra Bastola, UCPN-Maoist leader Leelamani Pokharel and Karnali Watershed Conservation Society Chairperson Lok Bahadur Rawat said the country and people are being cheated with increasing foreign investment due to lack of clear hydropower policy to draw domestic investment in this sector.
They underscored the need of comprehensive policy and monitoring mechanism to make this sector lucrative from people’s perspective.
Nepal has the capacity to generate 83,000 Megawatt from different rivers. Though the country’s current need is total 1,200 MW, the supply now is limited to 780 MW.
