Development Infrastructure

What do all developed countries have in common that starkly distinguishes themselves from their developing and underdeveloped peers? The answer is: good infrastructure in place. Without developing solid physical infrastructures needed to cater to a wide range of needs of its people, a country's dream of joining the ranks of developed countries remains unfulfilled. Infrastructure – such as connectivity by road, water or air links – is indispensable to transport goods from one place where they are produced in abundance to another they are in short supply, as well as to facilitate the cross-border movements of people. 

By enabling this process, infrastructure lays the groundwork not only for holistic development but also for prosperity. Similarly, in the age of information technology, the infrastructure for broadband internet powers the seamless exchange of information to any corner of the world in a blink of an eye, obviating the need for unnecessarily travel. Likewise, good housing infrastructure, in addition to affording its inhabitants a quality life, saves them from the elements as well as destructive forces of nature like floods, hurricanes, heat waves and so on.

In its effort to incentivise the development of wide variety of infrastructures as part of its goal of becoming a developed nation, Nepal has been holding Infrastructure Summits for years now. In the recently concluded such a summit, jointly organised by the Confederation of Nepali Industries (CNI) and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT), extensive deliberations were made on relevant issues of development, including energy and water resources, digital and information technology, transport infrastructure construction, urban development and waste management. It also dwelled on the issues of provincial and local governments' development engagements and role of women.

On the second day of the two-day event, addressing the participants, former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said that, since various laws related to business and investment were amended and formulated during the Investment Summit earlier this year, investment climate has markedly improved for would-be investors – at home and abroad – to pour their money here with the expectation of yielding good returns. He also urged them to freely make investments.

What's more, the compelling suggestions made by Rajesh Kumar Agrawal, president of CNI, to the government for the sustainable development resonated with us. He suggested the models of infrastructure development, identification of practical aspects that can be implemented and the steps to be taken to ensure that our infrastructure projects are not only economically but also socially and environmentally sustainable. In an era marked by frequent extreme climatic events, resilient infrastructure that not only withstand their onslaught but also continues functioning, these words ring truer than ever. 

Importantly, the government should pay heed to the demands put forth by private sector energy entrepreneurs at the meeting, who asked the government to spring into action to quickly pass the Electricity Bill, address the issues of felling trees to clear the ground for the construction of roads, as well as the thorny issues of land acquisition at the development sites, among others. Similarly, experts also demanded it significantly improve the dire state of transport infrastructure, asking it to increase the 6 per cent of the budget allocated compared to the recommended 12-15 per cent as well as solve the lingering problems of road functionality and safety which has been leading to inefficiencies and high accident rates. They also suggested that it should take steps to complete the incomplete and stalled projects and sort out the issues with inefficient procurement processes.