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Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said that the federal government will provide necessary support and facilitate efforts to make Gandaki Province fully electrified.

During a meeting with Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Water Supply of Gandaki Province Fanindra Devkota at Singha Durbar on Tuesday, Minister Shrestha said effective coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments was necessary to provide electricity access to all households in the province through the ‘Gandaki Ujjyalo’ programme.

At present, 1,717 households in Gandaki Province are yet to receive electricity services.

Minister Shrestha said the federal government would provide necessary support to extend electricity access to those households at the earliest.

He expressed satisfaction over the Gandaki Province government’s priority to the Electricity Development Bill and programmes such as ‘Gandaki Ujjyalo’.

“Through a strong, planned and coordinated provincial government, we can realise our vision of equitable development by ensuring that development opportunities reach all geographical areas and communities equally,” he said.

Minister Shrestha said that preparations were under way to develop some local levels as ‘energy self-sufficient local units’ by prioritising energy security.

He also stressed the need to prioritise the use of solar and other renewable energy sources in remote and difficult-to-reach areas where expansion of the national transmission system is challenging.

He said cooperation among the federal, provincial and local governments was essential for this.

Minister Shrestha said that the attention should be given not only to expanding electricity access but also to developing infrastructure and technical capacity to increase electricity consumption. He said the federal and provincial governments could jointly formulate plans after studying the technical requirements, infrastructure and costs necessary for increasing electricity consumption.

He said that adequate budget had been allocated by the federal government for electricity expansion in the province in the current fiscal year, while necessary authority was also being delegated to the provincial government.

The Minister said a plan could be taken forward through the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre for the reconstruction of the micro-hydropower plant at Chumnubri in Gorkha, which was affected by floods.

During the meeting, Gandaki Province's Energy Minister Devkota informed Minister Shrestha that the provincial government was preparing to introduce an Electricity Development Bill and said federal government support and coordination were necessary for the purpose. He said preparations were underway to declare Gandaki a fully electrified province.

He also requested the federal government to ensure budgetary resources for electrification in Nisi of Baglung and to take initiatives to extend electricity services up to the Korala border point with China.

They also discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between the federal and provincial governments in expanding electricity access, increasing electricity consumption, and developing irrigation and energy infrastructure in Gandaki Province, according to Minister Shrestha’s secretariat.