Kathmandu, January 19

National Planning Commission Vice-chair Dr Swarnim Wagle said the government had introduced programmes to ensure people’s access to clean energy.

“Energy and economic prosperity are interrelated,” he said while inaugurating a workshop titled ‘Opportunities of Micro-finances for Clean Energy’s Future in Nepal’ here today. The event was organised by United Nations Capital Development Fund and Alternative Energy Promotion Centre.

Though achievements have been made in the areas of information technology, education, health and infrastructure development in the past 30 years, political instability and the armed conflict have caused setback to Nepal’s development, according to him.

He expressed his hope that the goal was very much tenable considerable the country’s political transition to federal republic. He said that the government had introduced programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and prosperity through poverty reduction, decentralisation, good governance and financial inclusion.

Norwegian Ambassador Lasse Johannessen said his country had been assisting Nepal to increase people’s access to renewable energy. Secretary at the Ministry of Environment Prakash Mathema underlined the need to provide to micro-finance loans to ensure the poor’s access to energy.