National Pride Projects : Hope or myth for prosperity?

The Government of Nepal has listed various strategically important projects that can contribute to the country's economic and social transformation as National Pride Projects. Although the criteria for declaring such Pride Projects has not been made, the government has declared 21 projects under construction as National Pride Projects till now. But none of the projects  have been completed on time.

National Pride Projects are high-priority government projects aimed at benefiting the maximum population. These projects are typically long-term in nature and are implemented through multi-year contracts. In contrast, regular projects have shorter durations and are usually completed within two to three years. The government declares a project as a "National Pride Project" when it is expected to have a significant impact on the nation's economic growth and development. Such projects are generally distinguished based on their scale, complexity, and potential impact.

List of National Pride Projects as listed by National Planning Commission

1. Sikta Irrigation Project
2. Babai Irrigation Project
3. Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project
4. Bheri Babai Diversion Project
5. Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project
6. Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project
7. West Seti Hydropower Project
8. Bhairahawa Regional/International Airport
9. Pokhara Regional/International Airport
10. Second International Airport, Bara
11. Pashupati Area Development Trust
12. Lumbini Area Development Trust
13. Mid-Hill (Pushpalal) Highway
14. East-West Railway
15. Postal Highway
16. North-South (Koshi) Highway
17. North-South (Kaligandaki Corridor) Highway
18. North-South (Karnali) Highway
19. Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Fast Track
20. Melamchi Water Supply Project
21. President Chure Conservation Program

Nepal Trust

The Nepal Trust Act, which was originally formulated to allow usage only for education and health, was amended to include tourism and business.

After that, a game began where the trust's property was leased to close associates for an extremely low amount, for a duration of 80 to 100 years, at a throwaway price.

Everyone is involved in this collusion. What we see on the surface are the Congress and Communists, but when it comes to benefiting from it, everything is set behind the scenes.

Why do citizens even need the government ?

  #RightToRejectIn2084

Why do citizens even need the government ?

• To get a two-wheeler driving license takes 2-3 years.
• You have to run around for 2-4 days just to get a ward recommendation, citizenship, and passport.
• The national highway feels like an ambush.
• Food prices are 3-4 times higher.

The country could run even if they just placed a statue on the chair!

Nepal, Electricity and Trade !!

Nepal, a country rich in water resources, holds immense potential for electricity production. Rather than selling electricity abroad, if domestic consumption could be increased, it would make a significant contribution to the country’s economy.

Some questions that Nepal’s electricity and trade regulatory bodies and the government need to answer:

1. It has been years since the claim that electricity is being wasted, but how much has the electricity tariff been reduced to encourage domestic consumption? Why is the Step-Up Tariff system, which essentially exploits the people, still in place? The more electricity people consume, the more expensive it gets—how does that encourage consumption? Isn't it high time to introduce a system where higher consumption leads to lower tariffs?

2. Apart from lighting bulbs, who has actually been taught how to use electricity effectively? Even if electricity were provided for free starting tomorrow, would we, the lazy Nepalis, do anything other than keeping the lights on 24/7? What other measures have been introduced to boost electricity consumption?

3. Increasing domestic consumption would contribute more to GDP than selling electricity abroad. But instead, petroleum pipelines are rapidly being built by India, and we are happily receiving fuel. Even India needs infrastructure to sell fuel—it needs to lay pipelines, just as it needs infrastructure to transmit electricity.

4. Streetlights are being cut off due to payment disputes with municipalities. If the electricity authority is making a profit, how exactly does that benefit the people?

5. Instead of worrying about 1,000 megawatts going to waste tomorrow, why not distribute 100 megawatts for free today to cultivate the habit of using electricity? Increasing consumption requires habit formation, not just supplying electricity.

The current policy seems to be: "Sell paddy, buy flattened rice to eat"("धान वेचउ, चिउरा बेसाएर खाऊ"). We sell electricity and then buy fuel to run our vehicles, cook food using gas, and continue being dependent on imported energy. Why does Nepal even need electricity? We, the lazy Nepalis, will only leave our lights on all day if given free electricity—that’s all we know. Neither books, nor the government, nor the concerned authorities have taught us how to utilize electricity productively. Instead, everyone seems obsessed with the idea that Nepal has too much electricity, it is going to waste, and it should be sold cheaply to our neighbors just to earn a little money.