South Asian Business news and information

A few days ago, I wrote: India Exploring More Electricity from Nepal and Bhutan. By reading that entry, anyone would feel that Nepal is rich in electricity. Well, the reality is just the other way round. Nepal is suffering from electricity shortage and in parts of Nepal frequent and long power cuts are becoming a part of life.

Kantipur Online wrote:

Faced with 240 megawatts of power shortage due to fast depleting levels of water in the country's rivers, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to increase power cuts in central Nepal from the existing six hours a week to 15 hours from Sunday.

"There will be power cuts on six days in a week from Lahan in the east to Lamahi in the west from Sunday," said Sher Singh Bhat, chief of NEA's Systems Operations Department. "In places east of Lahan and west of Lamahi, the existing power cuts of around 11 hours a week will continue."

This is surely not a joke. I have often written about foreign aid coming to Nepal. I wonder if World Bank or Asian Development Bank officials could give some attention in helping Nepal to generate more electricity.