Kulman Ghising, the Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), who successfully eliminated load-shedding during his first term and focused on infrastructure development in his second term, has been given a zero rating by the government for his performance evaluation.

According to high-level sources at the Ministry of Energy, a committee formed to evaluate Kulman’s performance has submitted a report assigning him a zero score. The evaluation pertains to his performance during the fiscal year 2080/81 . Jeevanchha Mandal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry, has been appointed as the coordinator of the committee.

The committee includes Joint Secretaries from the Administration and Legal divisions, along with a subject matter expert as a member. Sources indicate that the zero rating was assigned because Kulman failed to submit his performance report on time, specifically by Magh 18 .

Energy Secretary Suresh Acharya reportedly pressured the committee to assign a zero rating based on the delayed submission of the performance report.

“The Secretary insisted on giving a zero rating and preparing the performance evaluation report under pressure,” one committee member told Bijuli Mandu . “Since there were no specific provisions regarding penalties for late submission of the performance agreement, we initially hesitated to assign a score.”

According to the member, the zero rating appears to be a retaliatory move aimed at removing Kulman from his position.

“Giving a zero rating by claiming he did not perform any work is clearly retaliatory and will harm the government further,” the member said. “This rating will undoubtedly raise questions about our administrative system.”

Kulman Ghising’s Track Record

Kulman Ghising was appointed as the Managing Director of NEA on Shrawan 25, 2078 , for his second term. During his tenure, he achieved impressive scores in performance evaluations:

94.23 for the fiscal year 2078/79

98.94 for the fiscal year 2079/80

Given his consistent high scores in the past two terms, receiving a zero rating for the previous year’s performance is being viewed as a punitive measure by some within the Ministry.

“Several attempts were made to remove Kulman, but when all those failed, this zero rating was given as a mockery,” a Ministry employee revealed. “This move will backfire on Minister Khadka and Secretary Acharya.”

According to the employee, if anyone other than Kulman had been in charge, completing projects like the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Plant would have taken over a year. However, Kulman expedited the process, bringing it to completion within 115 days through frequent field visits.

“Kulman isn’t without weaknesses, but he sacrifices his personal life to meet deadlines,” the employee added. “We must acknowledge his dedication. But the relentless efforts to remove him suggest that certain vested interests are trying to destabilize this sector.”

Pressure for Removal

Sources indicate that pressure was exerted to assign a zero rating to Kulman based on his performance evaluation, with the intention of justifying his removal through the Cabinet.

Energy Minister Deepak Khadka has repeatedly sought explanations from Kulman regarding his removal, and a proposal to this effect has already been registered in the Cabinet two weeks ago.

Under the performance agreement signed with the Managing Director, corrective actions, including termination of the agreement, can be taken if the performance evaluation for the first, second, or third year falls below 50 points . However, the agreement also mandates providing the Managing Director an opportunity to be heard before taking such actions.

Kulman submitted his performance report to the Ministry on Poush 26 , claiming a score of 98.99 . During the last fiscal year, NEA reported a profit of NPR 14.46 billion . When Kulman took over leadership, the authority was burdened with accumulated losses of NPR 34.61 billion as of fiscal year 2072/73 . Currently, NEA has accumulated profits of NPR 47.41 billion .

Achievements Under Kulman’s Leadership

Electrification has reached 99% of the population.

Electricity loss (theft and technical) has been reduced to 12.73% , down from 25.78% before Kulman assumed responsibility.

Despite these achievements, the zero rating and attempts to remove Kulman are seen as politically motivated moves rather than objective evaluations of his performance.

Key Points:

Zero Rating: Assigned to Kulman Ghising for delayed submission of performance report.

Committee Composition: Led by Joint Secretary Jeevanchha Mandal, with members from administration, legal, and subject matter experts.

Past Performance Scores: 94.23 (2078/79) and 98.94 (2079/80).

NEA’s Financial Turnaround: From NPR 34.61 billion in losses to NPR 47.41 billion in profits under Kulman’s leadership.

Electrification and Loss Reduction: Electrification increased to 99%, and electricity loss reduced from 25.78% to 12.73%.