July 27: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal is preparing to bring a policy to provide special facilities to the people living below the poverty line.

In a press conference held at the Ministry on Monday, she said that free electricity will be provided to such people.

 “Energy is the raw material for economic and industrial development,” she said. She stressed on the need to focus on making development plans so that the electricity generated in Nepal can be used in the country.

Minister Bhusal also said that the tariff of electricity will also be reconsidered. “Our electricity tariff is expensive. According to general economics, the higher the production, the lower is the cost price. My experience as a consumer is that the higher the consumption, the lower the rate should be, but this is not the case here,” she said, “The electricity tariff should be reconsidered. Electricity tariff should be adjusted.”

Stating that the private sector has contributed to the country by investing heavily in the energy sector, she added, “We must protect the private sector. The government is also their guardian.”

Minister Bhusal said that the government should facilitate in building large reservoir with the investment of the people.

Stating that she would work towards increasing production, fixing affordable rates, providing concessions and increasing the number of consumers, Bhusal said that the number of consumers and electricity consumption would also increase if the LP gas could be replaced.

She also said that she is preparing to bring a policy to help in irrigation through energy. “It will be a great relief if we can provide irrigation facilities to agriculture. We don't have to rely on diesel and petrol,” she said.

She said that electricity will be made available to the people in the areas where electrification has not taken place by connecting the central transmission line as soon as possible.