Minister of Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun has said that the cash crunch of Upper Tamakosi Project will be sorted out soon. Addressing the meeting of second Quarterly four month progress and review meeting of his ministry, Minister Pun said that he will take an initiative to add investment in Upper Tamakosi.

“I knew the crisis of investment in the project during my recent visit to project site. We need to construct the project as per our schedule and generate the electricity by December 31, 2019,” said minister Pun. He said that we need to complete the project soon and directed project officials to present preparation for additional investment.

After listening various problems and issues of different sectors in six hours long marathon meeting, Minister Pun directed concerned officials to work giving priority to Ministry’s project not the project of my own district Rolpa.

He also directed concerned officials to select the project on the basis of its reliability and viability rather than on the basis of personal whim urging ministry’s officials to forward the project as per the Ministry’ White Paper.

“Don’t work on the basis of personal interest, interest of ministers, member of parliament and ministers. Now on you have to work taking country’s interest and priority and the priority of the Ministry,” said Minister Pun. Minister Pun also said that there need to discourage pressure during the process of selecting the projects. He also stressed the need to expend all the money allocated to the ministry.

Minister Pun also directed Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) officials to show him progress report of the projects implemented by NEA and it subsidiary companies. He asked what the state of companies under NEA is. He demanded regular briefing of the progress of all the companies under NEA.

NEA officials should inform me how many companies are there under NEA and how much money they are investing currently in how many projects including what is the state of shares. He also directed concerned officials to cancel the contract with contractors who failed to work as per schedules.