Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Banskota and World Bank Country Director for Nepal Susan Goldmark signed an agreement to this connection. [break]
The assistance pledged for the Kabeli Transmission Project -- a priority project of the government -- will be used to construct a 132 KV transmission line from Kabeli Bazaar in Panchthar to Damak in Jhapa. Substations would be built in the vicinity of Kabeli Bazaar and at the towns of Phidim, Ilam and Damak.
The transmission line is expected to facilitate efforts of Nepali private hydropower developers to arrange financing for their projects, as generation projects must have a credible plan for transmitting power before commercial banks will offer financing. “In the medium term, the new transmission line could bring as much as 100 MW into the system,” a press statement quoted Goldmark as saying.
Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Wildlife Protection in Asia, on the other hand, is a regional project that will address the cross-border illegal wildlife trade through regional cooperation. The finance provided for the project will facilitate capacity building and support Nepal´s initiatives at habitat protection and management for wildlife in general and tigers in particular.
Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan are joining the project at this stage, according to the statement. The World Bank envisages other “Tiger Range Countries” (TRCs) in South Asia and South East Asia to participate in the project in later phases.
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