National Planning Commission vice chair Dr Swarnim Wagle has said the government has brought various programs into operation with the objective of ensuring all people's access to clean energy by 2030 AD.
"Energy and economic prosperity are interrelated," he said while inaugurating a workshop on 'Opportunities of microfinances for clean energy's future in Nepal' here Friday. The event was organized by the United Nations Capital Development Fund and Alternative Energy Promotion Center.
Though there were tremendous achievements in the areas of information technology, education, health and infrastructure in the past 30 years, political instability and conflict caused hurdles in the pace of Nepal's development . He was hopeful that expected goals were not so far on the backdrop of the country already entering into a federal structure.
The government had focused on various programs including the sustainable development goals for achieving the nation's economic prosperity through the means of poverty minimization, decentralization, good governance and financial inclusion.
Also on the occasion, Norway's Ambassador for Nepal Lasse Johannessen had been assisting Nepal to increase people's access to energy through the means of renewable energy.
Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment Ministry Prakash Mathema underlined the need of giving priority to micro finance loan to ensure poor's access to energy as the initial cost for the renewable energy is relatively expensive.
Alternative Promotion Energy Center executive director Ram Prasad Dhital said presently 17 percent country's population had been benefited from renewable energy.
UNCDF's Clean Start Program Manager Vincent Wierda was also present on the occasion.
According to information shared on the occasion, the project that was launched in 2014 AD has now connected 125,000 households and 22 million US dollar has so far been invested in this.
