A high-level meeting chaired by Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has decided to strengthen coordination among the three levels of government for developing energy and water resources.
A big discussion has taken place to bring policy harmony and move forward together for the development of energy, water resources, and irrigation sectors. The thematic committee meeting of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation focused on strengthening cooperation between the federal, provincial, and local governments.
Who Attended the Meeting?
The meeting was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha. Many big leaders joined the discussion, including Lumbini Province Minister Dilli Raj Bhusal, Bagmati Province Minister Krishna Kumar Tamang, Koshi Province Minister Tilchan Pathak, and Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Gopal Hamal.
Other top officials also participated in this meeting, such as Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Secretary Sarju Kumar Vaidya, Energy Ministry Secretary Sarita Dawadi, various provincial secretaries, and the acting managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority.
Important Presentations and Bills
During the meeting, Executive Director of Alternative Energy Promotion Center Nabaraj Dhakal gave a presentation on the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Bill, 2083. Also, Ministry Joint Secretary Sushil Chandra Acharya presented about the Water Resources Bill. The participants believe that the renewable energy bill will help a lot in managing energy mix, controlling electricity leakage, and promoting social justice.
Key Decisions and Future Plans
The members discussed about sharing opportunities in the water and energy sector in a fair way. They decided to encourage the good use of water and strongly discourage its misuse. The meeting stressed that water should not be treated just as a commodity, but as a resource with multi-dimensional values.
To fight problems like drought, heavy extraction of groundwater, and lack of water recharge, the committee made a shared decision to conduct a “water audit”. They also want to develop the Water and Energy Commission as a “knowledge center” to keep all institutional memories safe.
Finally, the meeting decided to make necessary legal and policy changes to regulate water resources. They agreed to implementing the “River Basin Master Plan” after getting approval from the Finance Ministry. They also want to keep communication centralized but fully decentralize the power. Traditional and indigenous knowledge will be combined with modern science in government policies for irrigation and water management.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
