Electricity generation in the country surged by 7.4 per cent in the first eight months of the current fiscal 2017-18 as compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal 2016-17. The ‘Economic Survey 2017-18’ released by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) today reveals that 1044.6 megawatts of electricity was generated in the review period.

Similarly, 3,496 kilometres of transmission lines were constructed and 3.5 million households have access to electricity till date. In the current fiscal, the demand for electricity has increased to 1,508.2 MW and the difference between demand and supply stands at 463.6 MW.

Hydropower projects built by the private sector have contributed 39.5 megawatts of electricity this year including the four-megawatt Puwa Khola, 5.1MW Upper Mai C, four-megawatt Sardi Khola, 2.8MW Chake Khola, four-megawatt Sabha Khola, 13.6MW Thapa Khola and 4.9MW Fawa Khola.

According to the survey, a total of 1044.6 megawatts of electricity was generated in the first eight months of this fiscal of which 990.5 MW was generated through hydropower projects, 53.4 MW through diesel thermal plants and 0.7 MW of electricity was generated through alternative energy resources. At present, three out of 10 households in the country do not have access to electricity.

Likewise, 1,348 kilometres of roads were constructed in the first eight months of the current fiscal. All district headquarters in the country except Dolpa and Humla districts have access to roads at present.

As per the survey report, of the total length of roads constructed in the country in the review period, the highest percentage was in Province 3. Out of 1,348 kilometres of roads already completed, 25.5 per cent lies in Province 3; 20.4 per cent in Province 1; 18.8 per cent in Province 4; 14.7 per cent in Province 5; 6.4 per cent in Province 7 and 4.5 per cent in Province 6 (Karnali).

According to the survey, out of 58,398 kilometres of roads being constructed, 4.6 per cent of the roads was blacktopped, 22 per cent was gravelled and 73.4 per cent was fair-weather roads.

Similarly, in the review period, 268,969 units of vehicles were added, which has increased the total number of vehicles to above three million. In between fiscal 1990-91 and fiscal 2016-17, 2.7 million vehicles were registered at the Department of Transport Management.