Delay in project completion resulting in unusual development cost: Minister Shrestha

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, May 22: Minister for Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has viewed that delay in project completion has resulted in an unusual increment of the cost of the development project.

Speaking at the meeting of the Infrastructure Development Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) on Friday Minister Shrestha said that the trend of projects not being completed in time has not only made development costly but also provoked questions over the relevance of investment.

Inflation triggered by international factors and domestic dillydallying trend are the main factors for hyping development cost, he said.

He mentioned that private sector investment in hydropower sector has been getting costly and at one point it will create a debate over its relevance.

Energy Minister Shrestha held that confusion was also created when contracts are cancelled in the middle way or a situation erupts to halt the project due to public procurement process and complexity in contract management.

He pointed at the need of a serious deliberations on all these issues and loopholes that affect development sector.

Minister Shrestha urged the Committee to monitor development works so that quality is maintained.

He also viewed that accountability would be ensured and responsibility augmented if the Committee develops a system for monitoring development projects.