KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka has said that Nepal cannot achieve prosperity by sidelining the very workers who drive the country’s development.
Speaking at a special ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) on Friday, Minister Khadka honored long-serving staff, retired employees, and families of workers who lost their lives in service. He underscored the crucial role of daily-wage and contractual workers in building the nation’s power sector.
“Daily-wage workers have contributed immensely to the development of the electricity sector. The NEA board is working to address their demands, and respecting their labor is part of our duty,” Khadka said. He added that past commitments toward workers would be gradually implemented.
The minister stressed that the government has identified the energy sector as the fastest route to national prosperity, making a collective effort essential. Nepal has set an ambitious target of producing 28,500 megawatts of electricity by 2035, a goal in which the NEA must play a central role, he said.
Highlighting Nepal’s growing role in the regional power market, Khadka noted that electricity sales have already begun to India and Bangladesh. He said Nepal aims to further expand exports while simultaneously reducing electricity imports.
Minister Khadka also underlined the government’s plan to make hydropower investment accessible to the poor and disadvantaged. “Unless we can uplift the poor, true development is not possible. The government is working to ensure collateral-free loans for their investment in hydropower shares,” he said.
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