Nepal: 'India opened a new door for hydropower development in South Asia,' Prachanda recalls Delhi visit
Prachanda said the increase in hydro power generation would help in the development of green and clean energy and help in mitigating the effects of climate change in the region.
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India's commitment to import 10,000 MW of clean energy from Nepal in the coming ten years has opened a new door for hydropower development in South Asia. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' made the remarks during a meeting with Martin Raiser, Regional Vice President of the World Bank on Friday.
Prachanda said the increase in hydro power generation would help in the development of green and clean energy and help in mitigating the effects of climate change in the region. In a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Singh Darbar, he said that if we focus our attention on the development of hydropower, the people of the world will be benefitted directly or indirectly.
India opened a new door for hydropower development
He said that hydropower development in the Himalayan nation would not only benefit Nepal but also neighboring countries like India and Bangladesh. Prachanda recalled his recent visit to India. He had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Delhi. During this, Prime Minister Modi had expressed commitment to import 10,000 MW of clean energy from Nepal in the next ten years. He said that this has opened a new door for hydropower development. Prachanda visited India from May 31 to June 3, his first official foreign trip after assuming office in December 2022.
Discussion on climate change and possibilities of green development
Raiser and Prachanda recalled the cooperation between Nepal and the World Bank going back more than six decades. According to sources close to Prime Minister Prachanda, they discussed the Himalayan nation's problems related to the development process, including the challenges posed by climate change and the possibilities of green development. Prachanda expressed his gratitude to the global lender for coordinating the management of financial resources for the development of the 'Upper Arun Hydropower Project', a priority project of the Government of Nepal. At the same time, Raiser stressed that the World Bank stands ready to assist the Government of Nepal in its efforts to achieve social and economic development. He also expressed the commitment of the World Bank to help Nepal in the areas of reforms.