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Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has urged service recipients to immediately report to the ministry’s hotline number 1151, with supporting evidence, if they are asked to pay any amount beyond the officially prescribed fees while receiving services from the ministry or its subordinate agencies.

Since assuming office, Minister Shrestha has placed grievance hearing and prompt resolution among the ministry’s top priorities. Following his directives, efforts have been intensified to make service delivery within the ministry and its subordinate bodies more effective, transparent, and accountable.

As part of this initiative, hotline number 1151, which is dedicated to receiving complaints and addressing issues related to electricity services, has been made more active and result-oriented. According to the ministry, 13,088 complaints received through the hotline have been resolved since Minister Shrestha took office on March 26, 2026.

The majority of complaints concerned power outages, damaged transformers, shortages of poles and meters, and underground electricity connections. The ministry said it is focused on expediting the resolution of such issues and creating an environment where consumers can access services more conveniently.

The ministry further stated that arrangements have been made to promptly address complaints related to the energy, water resources, and irrigation sectors raised by members of the Federal Parliament and Provincial Assemblies during zero-hour and special parliamentary sessions.

Likewise, to improve governance and service delivery, the ministry has established and operationalized a Good Governance Unit in accordance with the Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act, 2008. The unit has been assigned sector-specific responsibilities, while systems for monitoring, evaluation, and performance assessment have been streamlined.

The unit regularly reviews the performance of ministry and subordinate agency employees, their fulfillment of responsibilities, compliance with legal deadlines, and the effectiveness of service delivery. It also continuously monitors the utilization of government resources, implementation of prescribed performance indicators, and whether assigned tasks are completed within the stipulated timeframe.

The ministry stated that it is prioritizing a “delivery-based governance system,” with a focus on improving service delivery, strengthening complaint management mechanisms, and enhancing employee accountability.

Urjasanchar