Photo: TRN CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ with Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN) on Friday.

CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the trilateral electricity trade agreement signed by Nepal with India and Bangladesh is a milestone.

He made this remark during a meeting with the officials of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN) on Friday.

Chairman Prachanda had signed a trilateral electricity trade agreement with the Indian counterpart during his visit to India as the Prime Minister.

"I had worked hard to sign the electricity trade agreement with India and Bangladesh, this is a milestone for Nepal’s prosperity," he said. "We will be able to fulfil our dream of prosperity by increasing hydropower production and selling it to India, China, Bangladesh and others."

Stating that there is no alternative but to move forward by implementing the agreement to export electricity to Bangladesh through India and to sell 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India in 10 years and the agreement to export electricity to China, he said that attention should be paid to electricity generation in this regard.

He, however, blamed the government for increasing its interference in affecting the existing infrastructure rather than developing electricity.

He hailed IPPAN for playing an important role in power generation.

Chairman Prachanda clarified that while he was leading the government, he had introduced ordinances to address various forest issues, including the National Parks Act 2029, but the court had stayed it, so more lobbying was needed for this.

In the meeting held at Prachanda's private residence in Khumaltar, IPPAN President Ganesh Karki drew Prachanda's attention mainly to three issues in the hydropower sector.

The IPPAN has drawn Prachanda's attention to the issue of court interference in the executive's jurisdiction, the initial public offering of 74 companies was stopped when the Public Accounts Committee went beyond its jurisdiction and directed the Securities Board of Nepal, and the proposed Electricity Bill has reduced the license period of hydroelectric projects from 50 years to only 35 years.

He said that the Supreme Court's order banning infrastructure construction in preservation areas would bring all development work in Nepal to a standstill.

He said that development in Nepal would not be possible unless the issues raised by the IPPAN were addressed.

Karki pointed out that the contribution of Prachanda to Nepal's hydropower development was significant, saying that during his tenure, the trilateral electricity trade agreement, the agreement to generate 28,000 megawatts of electricity with the private sector, and the end of load-shedding were historic works.

Stating that discussion on the energy bill has started in the parliament, he urged Prachanda to facilitate discussion as the leader of the main opposition party, as there was previously a 50-year license system, but now a 35-year one has been proposed and many files were pending.