High-level committee with private sector members formed to resolve energy project problems

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has formed a high-level committee, including private sector representatives, to remove obstacles in energy sector projects. Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha formed the committee to facilitate policy and resolve problems in project implementation.

Sunil Poudel, chief of the ministry's Energy Division and joint secretary, has been named coordinator. Yajna Prasad Bhattarai, joint secretary at the ministry's Law and Decision Implementation Division, is a member. Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, executive director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, and a deputy director general of the Department of Electricity Development are also members.

The minister's secretariat said Narendra Ballabh Pant, Abhigya Malla and Anup Acharya have been made members from IPPAN, the Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal. Engineer Shirish Pandey is also a member. Shalikram Bhandari, senior divisional engineer at the ministry's Renewable Energy and Carbon Trade Promotion Section, has been given the responsibility of member secretary.

The committee will identify policy, legal and implementation complexities in energy projects. Minister Shrestha has previously formed several committees under the ministry and the Nepal Electricity Authority.