KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has stressed that the government must not delay in collecting outstanding dues owed to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 13th General Convention of the NEA Employees’ Union in Kathmandu on Friday, Koirala said swift recovery of dues is essential to safeguard both the NEA and the nation’s financial stability.
“If dues are not collected on time, it will jeopardize the future of the Authority and the country,” Koirala said, adding, “It’s contradictory to let billions remain uncollected and then claim that the NEA is on the brink of collapse.”
He pointed out that the NEA is yet to recover at least Rs. 23 billion from large business houses.
Koirala also criticized the government’s policy on visit visa holders, saying there is no justification for demanding fees from citizens traveling abroad on such visas. Instead, he argued, the government should focus on creating domestic employment opportunities.
Also speaking at the event, Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Deepak Khadka said the new Electricity Act is in its final stage of being passed in Parliament. He noted that the government is committed to upgrading institutions based on the country’s needs.
Minister Khadka underlined that every citizen has equal rights to natural resources, and said the government is aiming to ensure participation of poor and marginalized groups in hydropower development through share ownership.
He further revealed that the Ministry of Energy has already sent a formal request to the Ministry of Finance to amend the controversial ‘Take and Pay’ provision mentioned in the budget.
The government, he said, has set a target to generate 28,500 megawatts of electricity by 2035, which would require significant effort and dedication from NEA employees.
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