Kathmandu, February 1:

David Grey, senior water adviser to the World Bank, said today that the bank would continue its support to Nepal in the water sector.

“Water is an important agenda in Nepal. It needs political commitment as well as the government plans to address the country’s needs. We are committed to continuing our support,” he said, while addressing a donors’ pre-consultation meeting on water resources.

He said Nepal should be more clear on its water policies and there should not be any project that would let the future generation regret for what we do today.

Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources Shanker Prasad Koirala said Nepal needs world-class management of water resources.

According to him, for immediate future, during the three-year Interim Plan period alone, a total investment of Rs 32.4 billion at fiscal year 2006/07 price level will be required from the public sector for the country’s power sector.

As stated in the budget speech of fiscal year 2007/08, an additional 5,000 MW of hydroelectricity will be generated within 10 years. “As per this commitment, commissioning of hydropower projects totalling a capacity of 2,085 MW will be initiated during the interim plan period,” he said, adding that fairly large hydropower projects such as Arun III, Upper Karnali and West Seti will be developed with foreign investment mainly for the expert purpose.

He added, “Clarity should be maintained in policy and legal regime consisting of water laws, environmental laws, fiscal and taxation related laws, which have direct bearing on hydropower development.”

He also presented the government’s plan on transmission line projects, electricity distribution and rural electrification, irrigation and water-induced disaster prevention.