KATHMANDU, June 24: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun has clarified that the government has not awarded anyone to construct Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project.
Minister Pun, while speaking at the meeting of the Federal Parliament on the deliberation on fiscal year budget of the ministry, reiterated that the government has not handed over the project to any companies. Lawmakers from the main opposition Nepali Congress questioned the government for handing over the project to Chinese company Gezhouba and reminded that the party-led government had decided to construct the project with domestic investment.
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Responding to the lawmakers, Minister Pun said that the government had three levels of dialogue with the company five months ago; however, the government has not taken any decision regarding the issue. He refuted the rumors in the media that the government has awarded the project to Gezhouba for the construction of the hydropower.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to using the project of national pride for the benefit of the country. He informed that the budget allocated for the project is only for the distribution of the compensation.
In another context, Minister Pun informed that Nepal is importing five hundred megawatts electricity from India. He, however, maintained that Nepal will be exporting electricity from next year and will be established as a country of fully exporting the electricity within five years.
