Nepal Army to invest in hydropower project for the first time

Kathmandu December 15– The Nepali Army (NA) is all set to invest in 12.25 MW Madikhola Hydropower Project, Rolpa, for the first time. The budget programme of the current fiscal year and the white paper recently issued by Finance Minister, Bishnu Prasad Poudel, incorporates the plan to mobilise army in the hydropower sector.

The project was in NA’s ‘basket fund’ for a long time, however, discussion regarding its modality is still underway.

In today’s meeting of the State Affairs Committee under the Legislature Parliament, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rajendra Chhetri said that the NA has already sent a letter to the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Energy regarding the modality of the Madikhola Hydropower Project.

CoAS Chhetri shared that they have been holding discussion with the ministries and soon the construction of the project would be forwarded after the decision. He further said that the NA made the decision to invest in the hydropower sector after lawmakers urged them to resolve the problem of energy crisis by utilising the Army Welfare Fund of Rs 35 billion.

CoAS Chhetri informed that they will get involved in other development construction as well on the basis of government’s direction and supervision in the future.