Nepal Electricity Authority has organized a rally to encourage and promote the use of electric vehicles in order to increase the consumption of clean green energy produced within the country.

On the occasion of its 38th anniversary, the Authority has held a public awareness rally for the use and promotion of electric vehicles on Saturday.

The rally of electric vehicles started from Ratnapark, the head office of the authority, and reached Ratnapark through Maitighar, New Baneshwar, Tinkune, Sinamangal, Airport, Gaushala, Chabahil, Maharajgunj, Lajimpat, Lainchaur, Durbarmarg and ended again at Ratnapark.

Inaugurating the event, Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet said that the government has a policy to increase the consumption of domestically produced electricity and encourage and promote the use of electrical equipment and vehicles for a clean environment. He emphasized on the need to increase the use of electric vehicles and materials to reduce the import of petroleum products.

Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Kulman Ghising, Managing Director of the Authority, officials of NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal, users of electric vehicles and others were present in the program. Minister Basnet, Secretary Ghimire, members of the authority’s board of directors, executive director and others participated in the rally.

The authority has adopted a policy of buying only electric vehicles for urban areas. The program of electrifying even petrol and diesel vehicles has been advanced.

The Authority has constructed 51 charging stations in various places across the country to further increase electricity consumption and encourage electric vehicles. The construction process of 13 more has been advanced. Similarly, according to the policy of promoting the private sector, more than 100 charging stations are being installed in different places of the country.

Special concessions have been provided on the charges of charging stations. Arrangements have been made to build the line up to the charging station free of charge and to provide electricity up to 200 KVA from the authority’s transformer.