Parties pledge to develop hydropower

Chairman of the interim election government, political party leaders and FNCCI president raising hands in a sign of solidarity to push for hydropower,

• Term hydel projects engine of growth • Express commitment not to disturb their construction
KATHMANDU: Major political parties today made a commitment to develop hydropower in the country.During the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry here, leaders of six major political parties — the Unified CPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal, Rastriya Janashakti Party and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic — and the Chairman of the interim election government Khil Raj Regmi signed a commitment paper, pledging not to disturb hydropower development in the country.
The umbrella organisation of the private sector has long been pushing for a common minimum economic agenda for political parties. But political bickering has become the order of the day, which has put economy on the back burner, costing the country billions and forcing thousands of youth to migrate to the deserts of the Middle East.
Since long, ultra-leftist parties have been treating hydropower as a political issue, forcing the country and its future towards darkness, but today’s commitment by the political parties, including the UCPN-M, which has often used hydropower as a bargaining chip for power, there is hope that the parties will treat hydropower now as a commodity that can make Nepal prosperous.
“Nepal is bestowed with vast natural resources and human capital,” said UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, after signing the 19-point commitment paper.
“We are committed to working unitedly with other political parties for the economic prosperity of the country,” he said. NC President Sushil Koirala, in his recorded message from Nawalparasi, said his party had always supported the private sector and had been the proponent of economic growth.
The CPN-Maoist that has been creating hurdles in the bigger hydropower projects was, however, absent at today’s programme.
“The FNCCI has been lobbying for a common minimum economic agenda, including hydropower, for the development of the country,” said FNCCI President Suraj Vaidya during the inaugural session.
“It is high time all political parties came to a certain understanding on ways to end the everlasting transition and steer the nation towards the path of accelerated growth,” the FNCCI chief said, urging the incumbent government to bring pending legislations that are crucial for creating investment-friendly environment in the country.
Vaidya also asked the government to bring legislations regarding electricity, special economic zone, banking and financial institutions, intellectual property, foreign investment and regulating foreign trade and labour to help create investment-friendly environment.
“We urge the government to conclude the pending Letter of Exchange of trade and transit with and through India in addition to concluding the Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement, and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Thailand, Qatar, Australia, Russia and other potential countries,” added the FNCCI president.

Source : The Himalayan Times