Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Economic and Financial Assessment of MCC
The grant from Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to Nepal of US $500 million has two components: “electricity transmission project” with a budget of US $400 million and “road maintenance project”, estimated to cost US $52 million. There is a budget of $49 million for monitoring and evaluation and other administrative expenses. The plan of electricity transmission project is to build/erect a 315 kilometer long transmission line from Lapsiphedi to Ratmate in Kathmandu to Butwal via Damauli. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has already signed an agreement with Power Grid Corporation of India to connect Butwal in Nepal with Gorakhpur in India by another 135 kilometer long 400 kV transmission line.
Main objective of the electricity transmission project is to build/erect infrastructure to enable Nepal to export electricity. The aim of MCC is said to be to alleviate poverty of 29 million Nepali. Million dollar question is: would the poverty in Nepal be reduced by exporting electricity to India?
Electricity Market
Some Nepali believe that there is no market for electricity in Nepal and, therefore, Nepal should export electricity to prosper and reduce poverty. Per capita electricity consumption in Nepal last year was 244 kWh (unit) while it was 1,181 kWh in India. Notwithstanding lower electricity consumption in Nepal and higher consumption in India, India is said to be eager to import electricity and Nepal has no use for its electricity and, therefore, needs to export. Nepal can only attain Indian economic level if installed capacity of electricity in Nepal is increased to 7,000 MW, which was 1,451 MW last fiscal year.
Nepali political leaders pontificate that they would metamorphose Nepal into Singapore, which is well-nigh impossible without increasing electricity consumption to Singaporean level, which is 8,000 kWh per capita. For that purpose, Nepal's system would need 50,000 MW installed capacity. While Nepal’s economically feasible hydropower potential is only 43,000 MW.
Some wonder how Nepal would be able to consume electricity on such a scale. There is a huge quantum of unmet and latent demand for electricity in Nepal. The unmet demand manifests in a number of industries that depend on diesel generators. The industries in operation still need 270 MW after 30 MW was made available to Hongshi Cement Industry. Similarly, faremers in Tarai use diesel pumps lift ground water for irrigation; installed capacity of which is 700 MW. There are many other instances of unmet demand.
Nepal’s underdeveloped state itself indicates a huge quantum of latent demand for electricity. For instance, latent demand for electricity is inherent in displacement of firewood and LPG from kitchens. Similarly, except for major cities, industrial quality electricity is not available in most parts of Nepal to set up industries. The unmet and latent demand exists in all economic sectors, which manifests a market for electricity.
Export to India
Recently an agreement was signed with India to export 39 MW electricity at the average rate of Rs 4.33/kWh. The consumers in Nepal have to pay an average rate of Rs 10/kWh and NEA itself purchases electricity from IPPs at Rs 4.80/kWh in wet season and Rs 8.40/kWh in dry season. This is a model that is geared to colonize Nepal's electricity resource: deprive Nepal's economy from electricity and export the same at rock bottom price.
The justification for the low rate was that it is surplus electricity. It is true that Nepal has off-peak and off-season surplus electricity. But NEA has yet to formulate a policy to market surplus electricity in Nepal. The marginal cost of surplus electricity is very low and the same could be marketed in Nepal at a lower rate. This itself would result in a win-win scenario for NEA, the consumers and the country. Every rupee earned by selling surplus electricity directly increases NEA’s net profit. Consumers would gain by using surplus electricity at low rate, which would also help change their electricity consumption behavior: use surplus electricity at low rate and reduce load on the system during peak hours, which is beneficial for NEA. And the country would benefit by the increase in the electricity consumption in terms of value addition in the economy.
Monopsony Trap
Nepal has both surplus electricity and huge quantities of unmet and latent demand for electricity. The phenomenon is due to a lack of reliable transmission and distribution infrastructure in most parts of the country.
But a 400 kV transmission line from Dhalkebar in Nepal to Muzaffarpur in India is already operational and the plan is to build another one from Butwal to Gorakhpur in India under MCC.
This would lead to the monopsony trap; single buyer for Nepal's electricity, since there is no infrastructure to market Nepal's own electricity in the country.
Unconscionable Cost
The cost of the 400 kV transmission line built by NEA from Dhalkebar to Bhitthamod was less than Rs 40 million per kilometer. But the transmission line under MCC is estimated to cost Rs 150 million per kilometer, which is unconscionably high.
Although it is not advisable to build infrastructure to export instead of building infrastructure to increase consumption in Nepal, let’s examine the cost angle. Contrasted with the 400 kV transmission line from Dhalkebar to Bhitthamod in Nepal, the transmission line under MCC has to pass through hilly terrain. Therefore, transmission line to Butwal is estimated to cost about Rs 60 million per kilometer. Thus, the transmission line envisaged by MCC could be built for about Rs 19 billion. But MCC is planning to spend Rs 47 billion for the same! The question as to what would happen to the difference of over Rs 28 billion has yet been answered.
Crippling NEA
NEA is experienced in building 400 kV transmission line and possesses requisite human resources. Building a similar transmission line under MCC would cripple NEA. Where would MCC obtain skilled human resources for the works? It is unlikely that MCC would import human resources from abroad. Most probably MCC would lure trained human resources from NEA at inflated remuneration. This is best formula not only to cripple NEA but also to destroy it
Correlation between Electricity Usage and Poverty
There is a direct correlation between electricity use and GDP of countries. According to data compiled by the World Bank, Qatar’s per capita GDP in 2015 was $100,000 when her energy consumption was 200,000 kWh per capita, while both GDP and energy consumption per capita of Nepal was commensurately low. The chart below ably demonstrates direct correlation between the two.
Source: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/energy-use-per-capita-vs-gdp-per-capita
It is obvious that an increase in electricity consumption is not just for the sake of increasing it. Electricity acts as a driver of economic growth in all sectors of the economy. For example, electricity plays an important role in increasing production and productivity of agriculture, including by enhancing access to irrigation even in hilly terrain. Availability of irrigation makes intensive farming possible, which would generate round the year employment to the farmers that are currently employed in planting and harvesting seasons only. Increased agricultural production and productivity also means Nepal would be on the path to attain food security.
Electricity also helps add value to agricultural produce by being able to store the produce safely for a long time which would enable the farmer to fetch higher value. Similarly, with the availability of electricity, it becomes possible to set up agro-processing industries, which would in turn generate additional employment, increase production in the country and help reduce balance of trade and payment deficits.
Availability of electricity has also been a constraint in the industrialization of the country. Electricity is said to be available to 90% of the populace, but industrial quality of electricity is available only in certain industrial corridors in Tarai and some big cities. If industrial quality electricity could be made available in nook and crannies of the country, the country could be industrialized at a higher plane, resulting in appurtenant benefits to the country’s economy.
Industrialization means generation of employment. too. Over 6 million youth of Nepal are employed abroad (no data available on employment of Nepali youth in India). Being able to bring them “home” would itself result in a great value addition to the economy.
Industrialization increases production, which can displace import and increase export; both of which would result in significant reduction in trade and payment deficit. This too would add value in the economy in a significant manner.
Import of petroleum products is single main cause of the trade and payment deficit. Displacement of petroleum products from the transportation sector by electricity would also contribute significantly in reducing trade and payment deficit as well as pollution.
Tourism is touted as the largest source of convertible currency for Nepal. Availability of electricity in nook and crannies of the country would succeed to attract high value tourists and also lengthen their stay in Nepal, contrasted with “budget” tourists that mainly visit Nepal leading to increased revenue from tourism.
Mainly LPG and firewood are used in kitchens in Nepal. A country like Nepal, with “abundant” hydropower potential and not producing a single drop of fossil fuel, should strive to displace imported LPG. LPG also emits carbon-monoxide, which is the cause of a number of ailments. Moreover, studies have proved that it is cheaper to cook on electricity than LPG. The chart below proves that cooking on electricity is cheaper by up to 50% compared to LPG:
Source: Center for Energy Studies, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University
Displacement of LPG would also result in win-win scenario for the consumers, NEA and the country. It benefits consumers due to cost effectiveness. NEA would benefit by being able to sell spilled energy, while the country would benefit by decrease in balance of payment and trade deficit.
Similarly, firewood used in rural kitchens causes indoor pollution, which is mainly responsible for poor health of rural women resulting in unnecessary sickness and hospitalization etc. According to an informal estimate, the rural populace spends about 500 million working days in a year in the collection of firewood. If such time could be used for income generating activities, both the people and the country could prosper. This is another form of latent demand for electricity.
Value addition in the economy
A study commissioned by SARI energy program under USAID on “economic impact of poor power quality on industry” in 2003, amongst others it had concluded that “the industrial sector average value addition per unit of electricity use is approximately 86 USCts /kWh.” Therefore, exporting electricity from Nepal is tantamount to depriving Nepal of value addition in the economy by 86 US cents per unit for a meager average export tariff of 3.65 US cents per unit (equivalent to Rs 4.33/kWh).
Conclusion
Accepting MCC grant to build/erect 400 kV transmission line through to Butwal, which would in turn be connected to Gorakhpur in India to export electricity at low rate means we would not have adequate electricity to increase electricity consumption here and we would also fall in monopsony trap. Further, it is unconscionable to spend almost 3 times more than the cost at which NEA could have built the said transmission line. It is also not acceptable to cripple the only electric utility of Nepal to receive an annual grant of Rs 11 billion, which is less than 1% of Nepal’s annual budget. It is also obvious that Nepal’s poverty can be reduced by increasing electricity consumption in all sectors of her economy rather than exporting electricity.
In this scenario Nepal would be cursed to remain underdeveloped if she were to accept the MCC grant in order to be able to export her electric resources. Therefore, MCC Compact needs to be amended to build transmission and distribution infrastructure in order for Nepal to be able to increase electricity consumption in the country and NEA should be allowed to execute the transmission and distribution infrastructure works at reasonable cost such that per capita energy consumption in Nepal could be raised and also drive Nepal’s GDP upwards.
Published in New Spotlight Magazine on December 5, 2021
एमसीसीको आर्थिक विवेचना
अमेरिकी सरकारको एमसीसी अन्तर्गत नेपाललाई दिइने ५० करोड अमेरिकी डलर अनुदान मध्ये ४० करोड डलर काठमाडौंको लप्सिफेदी देखि रातमाटेसम्म र त्यहाँबाट दमौली हुँदै बुटवलसम्म ३ सय १५ किलोमिटर लम्बाइको ४०० केभीको प्रशारण लाइन निर्माणार्थ हो । नेपाल विद्युत प्राधिकरणले बुटवलदेखि गोरखपुरसम्म १ सय ३५ किलोमिटर लम्बाइको ४०० केभीकै प्रशारण लाइन बनाउन भारतीय प्रशारण संस्थासंग सम्झौता हालै गरेकोछ ।
एमसीसीको प्रशारण लाइन आयोजनाको मुख्य उद्देश्य नेपालको बिजुली भारत निकासी गर्नु हो । साथै यसले गर्दा २ करोड ९० लाख नेपालीको गरिबी निवारण हुन्छ भन्ने अवधारणा रहेछ । त्यसैले महत्वपूर्ण यक्षप्रश्न के हो भने के नेपालको बिजुली निकासी गर्दा नेपालीको गरिबी निवारण हुन्छ ?
बिजुलीको बजार
नेपालमा बिजुलीको बजार छैन र बिजुली निकासी गरेर नेपालीको गरिबी निवारण गनुपर्छ भन्ने भाष्य २०४८ सालदेखि प्रचारमा छ । गत आर्थिक वर्ष नेपालको प्रति व्यक्ति बिजुली खपत २ सय ४४ युनिट मात्र थियो भने भारतमा ११ सय ८१ युनिट थियो । भारतले नेपालको भन्दा झंडै ५ गुणा बिजुली खपत गर्छ तथापि भारत नेपालबाट बिजुली आयात गर्न इच्छुक छ भनिन्छ । अनि नेपालमा भने खपत हुनसक्दैन भन्ने भाष्य नै हास्यास्पद हो । भारतको समकक्षमा पुग्न नेपालमा जडित क्षमता नै अन्दाजी ७ हजार मेगावाट चाहिन्छ, जुन गत वर्ष १४ सय ५१ मेगावाटमात्र थियो ।
नेपालका नेताहरु नेपाललाई सिंगापुर बनाउने प्रतिबद्धता जनाउँदा बिर्सन्छन् कि त्यहाँ प्रति व्यक्ति बिजुली खपत ८ हजार युनिट छ र नेपालमा त्यति खपत हुन जडित क्षमता नै ५० हजार मेगावाट आवश्यक हुन्छ । बिस्मृतिमा नपरोस् कि नेपालको आर्थिकरुपमा सम्भाव्य विद्युत उत्पादन क्षमता नै ४३ हजार मेगावाटमात्र छ ।
कतिपय बुद्धिजीवि नै नेपालमा त्यो परिमाणको बिजुली खपत हुनसक्छ भन्नेमा विश्वस्त छैनन । नेपालमा पूर्ति नभएको दुइ थरि बिजुलीको माग विद्यमान छ । कतिपय उद्योगहरु डिजेलबाट उत्पादित बिजुलीमा निर्भर छन् । जस्तै नवलपरासी स्थित होङ्सी सिमेन्ट उद्योगलाइै हालै ३० मेगावाट उपलब्ध गराइएकोछ, अझ ५० मेगावाट आवश्यक छ । यसै गरेर बिभिन्न उद्योगहरुलाई २ सय ७० मेगावाट आवश्यक छ । त्यस्तै तराइमा सिंचाइको लागि ७ सय मेगावाट जडित क्षमता बराबर डिजेल पम्प प्रयोग गरिन्छ ।
९० प्रतिशत जनसंख्याको पहुँचमा बिजुली छ भनिए पनि उद्योग संचालन गर्न आवश्यक गुणस्तरको बिजुली तराइका केही जिल्लाहरु र केही प्रमुख शहरहरुमा मात्र उपलब्ध छ । पूरै देशमा उद्योग संचालन गर्न आवश्यक गुणस्तरको बिजुली उपलब्ध गराउन सके देशको कुना काप्चाहरुमा पनि उद्योगहरु स्थापना हुनसक्छ र यसबाट देशमा उत्पादन, रोजगारी इत्यादि वृद्धि हुन्छ । ६० लाख नेपाली युवा रोजगारीको लागि विदेशमा भौँतारिरहेका छन्, भारतमा यस्ता कति छन्, अज्ञात छ । यी युवालाई देशमा नै रोजगारी दिन सके मात्र पनि नेपालको अर्थतंत्रमा धेरै मूल्यअभिवृद्धि हुन्छ । साथै ठूलो मात्रामा औद्योगिकरण भए देशमा उत्पादन वृद्धि भएर आयात विस्थापित र निकासी वृद्धि हुन्छ, जसबाट व्यापार तथा शोधनान्तर घाटा कम हुन्छ । साथै अर्थतंत्रमा मूल्यअभिवृद्धि पनि हुन्छ ।
निकासी दर
हालै भारतमा ३९ मेगावाट बिजुली औसत ४ रुपैया ३३ पैसामा निकासी गर्ने सम्झौता भयो । तर नेपाली उपभोक्ताहरुले भने औसत १० रुपैया तिर्नुपर्छ । अझ प्राधिकरणले नै निजीक्षेत्रबाट वर्षातमा ४ रुपैया ८० पैसा र सुख्खायाममा ८ रुपैया ४० पैसामा किन्दछ । भारतीय नीति नै नेपाली उपभोक्तालाई बिजुली उपभोग गर्नबाट बञ्चित गरेर आफूले सस्तोमा बिजुली किनेर नेपालको बिजुलीको औपनिवेशिक दोहन गर्ने हो र कतिपय नेता तथा बुद्धिजीवि यहि नीतिको पृष्ठपोषण गर्छन् ।
यसरी भारतलाई “खेर जाने” बिजुली निकासी गरेको हुनाले दर न्यून भएको हो भन्ने तर्क प्राधिकरणको रहेछ । तर प्राधिकरणले यस्तो खेर जाने बिजुली नेपालमा नै खपत गराउन आवश्यक नीति नै निर्माण गरको छैन । सस्तोमा निकासी गर्र्नु भन्दा नेपालमा नै सस्तोमा बिक्री गरे उपभोक्ताहरु, प्राधिकरण र देश लाभान्वित हुन्छ ।
एकल क्रेता पासो
नेपालमा एकातिर बिजुली खेर गयो, जान्छ भनिदैछ भने अर्कोतिर पूर्वाधारको अभावको कारण आपूर्ति नभएको, हुन नसकेको माग धेरै छ । नेपालको ढल्केबारबाट भारतको मुजफ्फरपुरसम्म ४०० केभीको प्रशारण लाइन संचालनमा आइसकेकोछ र एमसीसी अन्तर्गत बुटवल पु¥याएर त्यहाँबाट भारतको गोरखपुर प्रशारण लाइन जोडेमा नेपाल एकल क्रेता पासोमा फँस्ने छ, नेपालमा खपत बढाउन पूर्वाधार अभाव हुने तर निकासीको लागि पूर्वाधार तयार भएमा ।
बिजुली खपत र गरिबी
बिजुली खपत वृद्धि भए गरिबी निवारण बिच प्रत्यक्ष सम्बन्ध छ । खाडी देश कतारमा सन् २०१५ मा प्रति व्यक्ति बिजुली खपत २ लाख युनिट हुँदा प्रति व्यक्ति कूल ग्राहस्थ्य उत्पादन १ लाख अमेरिकी डलर थियो भने नेपालको स्थिति त दयनीय छ, जुन यथार्थ निम्न चार्टबाट प्रष्टिन्छः
श्रोतः https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/energy-use-per-capita-vs-gdp-per-capita
बिजुली भनेको अर्थतंत्र नामक गाडी चलाउने चालक हो । बिुजुलीको उपयोग गरिए कृषि क्षेत्रको उत्पादन र उत्पादकत्व बढ्छ । बिजुली उपलब्ध भए सघन खेती सम्भव हुन्छ, पहाडी भेगमा समेत पानी तानेर सिंचाइ गरेर । सघन खेती हुँदा किसान वर्षैभरि व्यस्त हुन्छन्, खेतीमा व्यस्त नहुने मौसममा वैकल्पिक रोजगारी खोज्न पर्दैन । साथै कृषि उत्पादन वृद्धि हुँदा देशले खाद्यान्न सुरक्षा हासिल गर्नसक्छ ।
बिजुली मनग्गे उपलब्ध भए कृषकहरुले शित भंडार र विद्युतीय भकारी प्रयोग गरेर बढी मूल्य आउने बेलामा कृषि उपज बिक्री गरेर किसान समृद्ध बन्न सक्छन् । साथै कृषि प्रशोधन उद्योगहरु स्थापना गरेर पनि देशमा थप औद्योगिकरण हुनसक्छ ।
पेट्रोलियम पदार्थको आयातको कारण नै धेरै व्यापार र शोधनान्तर घाटाको भएको छ । यातायातको विद्युतिकरण गरेर पेट्रोलियम पदार्थको आयात धेरै हदसम्म घटाउन सकिन्छ, जसबाट विद्यमान प्रदुषण पनि तात्विकरुपमा घट्न जान्छ । समग्र यातायात विद्युतीकरण भए, यातायातबाट उत्सर्जन हुने प्रदुषण नियंत्रणमा आएर अनावश्यक औषधोपचारमा खर्च गर्न पर्दैन ।
देशको परिवत्र्य मुद्रा आयको ठूलो श्रोत पर्यटन हो भनिन्छ । तर नेपाल मुख्यतयाः झोले पर्यटक आउँछन् । देशको कुना काप्चाहरुमा उच्च गुणस्तरको बिजुली पु¥याउन सकिए बढी खर्च गर्ने पर्यटकहरुलाई आकृष्ट गरेर नेपालमा लामो अवधि बस्ने बनाउन सकिन्छ र यसबाट पर्यटनबाट हुने आयमा तात्विकरुपमा वृद्धि हुन्छ ।
नेपालका भान्छाहरुमा मुख्यतयाः ग्याँस र दाउरा प्रयोग गरिन्छ । नेपाल जस्तो जलविद्युतको प्रचुर सम्भावना भएको तर एक थोपा पनि पेट्रोलियम पदार्थ उत्पादन नगर्ने देशमा आयातीत ग्याँसलाई बिजुलीले विस्थापित गर्न जरुरी छ । स्मरणीय छ, ग्याँसले कार्बनमोनोक्साइड उत्सर्जन गर्छ जुन घातक प्रदुषण हो । त्रिभुवन विश्यविद्यालयको उर्जा अध्ययन केन्द्रले गरेको अध्ययन अनुसार ग्याँसबाट भन्दा बिजुलीले खाना बनाउँदा ५० प्रतिशतसम्म सस्तो पर्ने यथार्थ निम्न चार्टले प्रष्ट्याउँछः
श्रोतः उर्जा अध्ययन केन्द्र, इन्जिनियरिंग अध्ययन संस्थान, त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालय
ग्याँस विस्थापित गरिए उपभोक्ताहरु, प्राधिकरण र देश लाभान्वित हुन्छ । खर्चमा बचत भएर उपभोक्ताहरु लाभान्वित हुन्छन् भने प्राधिकरणले खेर जाने बिजुली समेत बिक्री गरेर फाइदा गर्छ । अनि व्यापार र शोधनान्तर घाटा घटेर देशको अर्थतंत्र सुदृढ हुन्छ ।
त्यस्तै दाउराबाट खाना बनाउँदा आन्तरिक प्रदुषण भएर अनावश्यक बिरामी हुने, औषधोपचारमा खर्च हुन्छ । दाउरा संकलन गर्न मात्र एक वर्षमा ५० करोड कार्यदिन खेर जाने आकलन गरिएको छ । दाउरा संकलन गर्न नपरे उक्त समयमा आय आर्जन गरे जनता र देश समृद्ध हुन्छन् ।
अर्थतंत्रमा मूल्यअभिवृद्धि
अमेरिकी सहायता नियोग अन्तर्गत गरिएको एक अध्ययन अनुसार उद्योगमा हुने प्रत्येक युनिट बिजुली खपतबाट ८६ अमेरिकी सेन्ट अर्थतंत्रमा मूल्यअभिवृद्धि हुन्छ । तर नेपालले औसत ४ अमेरिकी सेन्ट भन्दा कम, ४ रुपैया ३३ पैसामा बिजुली भारत निकासी गर्ने सम्झौता गरेको छ । यो परिदृष्यमा नेपालले बिजुली निकासी गर्नु भनेको अर्थतंत्रमा ८६ अमेरिकी सेन्टले हुने मूल्यअभिवृद्धि नै निकासी गर्नु हो, फगत ४ अमेरिकी सेन्ट भन्दा कम रकममा ।
अचाक्ली महँगो
निकासी गर्ने उद्देश्यले प्रशारण लाइन बनाउनु देशको हितमा छैन भनेर माथि उल्लेख गरिसकियो । तथापि बनाउने नै हो भने यति अचाक्ली महँगो बनाउनु बुद्धिमानी होइन । किनभने प्राधिकरणले ढल्केबार देखि भिट्ठामोडसम्म ४०० केभीको प्रशारण लाइन प्रति किलोमिटर ४ करोड रुपैया भन्दा कम लागतमा बनाएको थियो । तर काठमाडौंदेखि बुटवलसम्म प्रशारण लाइन पहाडी भूभागबाट समेत लैजान पर्ने हुनाले प्रति किलोमिटर ६ करोड रुपैयासम्म लागत लाग्ने अनुमान छ र ३ सय १५ किलोमिटर निर्माण गर्न १९ अर्ब रुपैया जति मात्र लाग्नु पर्नेमा एमसीसी अन्तर्गत ४७ अर्ब रुपैया खर्च गर्ने तयारी गरिँदैछ, जुन औचित्यपूर्ण छैन । प्रश्न हो यसरी बढी लाग्ने २८ अर्ब रुपैया कहाँ जान्छ ?
निष्कर्श
यो अवस्थामा एमसीसीको अनुदान लिएर बुटवलसम्म प्रशारण लाइन बनाउनु, जुन भारतको गोरखपुरसंग जोडिनेछ, भनेको सस्तोमा बिजुली भारत निकासी गरेर नेपाल बिजुली खपत बढाउनबाट बंचित पार्नु हो । साथै नेपालभित्र प्रशारण लाइनको अभाव भएको अवस्थामा भारत निकासी गर्न थप एक प्रशारण लाइन निर्माण गर्दा नेपाल एकल क्रेता पासोमा फँस्न जान्छ । यस अतिरिक्त झंडै ३ गुणा बढी किन खर्च गर्ने भन्ने प्रश्न पनि उठ्छ । त्यसैले एमसीसी सम्झौता यथास्थितिमा स्वीकार गरिए नेपाल अविकशित रहन अभिशप्त रहन्छ ।
तसर्थ एमसीसी अनुदान नेपालमा बिजुली खपत बढाउन आवश्यक पूर्वाधार निर्माण गर्नको लागि लिइनुपर्छ, निकासी गर्न होइन । त्यो पनि प्राधिकरणलाई निर्माणको जिम्मा लगाएर बचत हुने २८ अर्ब रुपैयाबाट बिजुली खपत बढाउन आवश्यक अन्य पूर्वाधार निर्माण गरिनुपर्छ । बिजुली खपत वृद्धि गरेर नेपालको अर्थतंत्रमा मूल्यअभिवृद्धि गरी देशको कूल ग्राहस्थ्य उत्पादन बढाएर गरिबी निवारण गर्ने लक्ष्य लिइनुपर्छ ।
Ratna Sansar Shrestha
नागरिक दैनिकमा २०७८ मार्ग २० गते प्रकाशित
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