Govt will provide support to complete projects: PM

Kathmandu, Mar. 17                                                                  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has assured the developers of various infrastructure and industrial projects in Nepal that they would be provided with the necessary support to complete the projects in time.

"The Investment Board Nepal (IBN) and the government will extend all necessary support and coordination for progressing project implementation and completing the projects within the stipulated timeframe," PM Prachanda, who is also the Chairman of the investment body, told the developers.   

He interacted with the developers at the IBN where the latter has briefed the progress of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Private investment projects facilitated by it to him on Friday afternoon.

During the interaction, the developers of Arun-III and Lower Arun Hydroelectric Projects; Hongshi  Shivam Cement, Huaxin Narayani Cement, Upper Karnali Hydroelectric Project, Upper Trishuli-1 Project, Upper Marsyangdi-2 Peaking Run of the River (PRoR) Hydroelectric Project, West Seti Storage and Seti River-6 PRoR Hydroelectric Project, Dabur Nepal, China-Nepal Friendship Industrial Park Project, Risen Nepal Solar Energy Project and Muktinath Cable Car briefed on  the progress implementation status and key challenges.

According to the developers, they are facing contradictions in investment act and environment act which have detrimental impacts on the projects, informed Ramesh Adhikari, spokesperson for the IBN.

They also complained about the complexities in land acquisition process and meeting unnecessary demands of the local communities.

Although the government had implemented one door system to facilitate investment in large projects, the investors and developers have to make rounds of ministries to get approval for various assessments and reports, they said to PM Prachanda.

CEO of the IBN Sushil Bhatta briefed the Prime Minister on project development and management, investment promotion, institutional development, and coordination collaboration and partnerships in line with the Public Private Partnership and Investment Act, 2019 and Strategic Plan of IBN.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 18 March 2023.