Urges building the project through domestic resources
KATHMANDU, Oct 9: Terming the decision to award the 1200 MW Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project to China’s state-owned contractor firm as objectionable, the main opposition party Nepali Congress has asked the government to build the project using domestic resources.
A Central Working Committee meeting that ended late Sunday termed the decision of the current government to award the project to China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC) “non-transparent’ and ‘objectionable’. A study committee led by the then National Planning Commission Vice Chairman Swarnim Wagle had submitted a report suggesting that the project can be developed through domestic resources.
Govt told to scrap decision to award Budhi Gandaki to Chinese f...
NC in its decision said that the sudden decision taken by the KP Oli-led government to award the project to the Chinese company without competitive bidding was objectionable.
Earlier, NC government-led by Sher Bahadur Deuba had decided to withdraw the contract given by the previous government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal to CGGC and decided to build on its own. The government has been collecting tax in the sale of petroleum products purportedly to fund the mega project.
Similarly, NC has also asked the government not to cut down trees more than necessary to develop the Nijgadh International Airport. The party has also asked the government to resolve controversies and ensure that the airport is built on time.
The NC meeting has also objected to the Farwestern provincial government’s decision to set up the provincial capital at Godawari saying that the place lacks physical infrastructures needed for a capital. The NC alleged that the provincial government’s decision was influenced by land mafia.
The party also demanded probe into the alleged irregularities in the recent wide-body aircraft purchase by the Nepal Airlines Corporation.
