Govt mulling to expand power grid to farmlands

KATHMANDU, JANUARY 17: The government is planning to provide an ‘agriculture meter’ to the peasants in its attempt to promote agricultural production and make farmers self-reliant. The electricity meters are needed for irrigation supply in the farmlands. If things go as planned, the government is working to expand the power grid up to the farmlands to meet the farmers’ demand.

For this purpose, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development would work in partnership. Likewise, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been asked to work on the expansion of the power grid and the government has also accorded top priority to the development of irrigation projects. Minister for Energy Shakti Bahadur Basnet yesterday held discussions at the Ministry with the leadership of the National Farmers’ Commission, the NEA and other stakeholders too.

On the occasion, Minister Basnet said that employment generation could be increased and food sufficiency is likely if we could modernize and commercialize the agriculture sector.