The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation is set to arrange concessional loans for low-income citizens without requiring collateral. This initiative aims to enable the poor to purchase shares in hydropower projects under the “People’s Hydropower Project,” ultimately contributing to national prosperity by improving the living standards of disadvantaged citizens across the country.
Through this arrangement, eligible low-income households can invest in hydropower shares with loans ranging from Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000, based on the capacity of the specific projects.
Energy Minister Dipak Khadka announced the initiative during a press briefing at the Ministry on Monday. He emphasized, “Every citizen has a right to access resources. We cannot achieve the prosperity we envision if the poor are left behind.” The distribution of shares will be based on the number of households.
Minister Khadka further noted, “This initiative represents an economic revolution aimed at building a prosperous nation by improving the financial status of the poor. The procedure has been adjusted to specifically support low-income families and civil servants.”
The provision will first be implemented in hydropower-affected districts and those with transmission lines, with plans for nationwide expansion. The government will ensure the allocation of shares to poor households, identified based on data provided by local authorities.
The press event was attended by Minister of State for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Purna Bahadur Tamang, Ministry Secretary Suresh Acharya, Irrigation Secretary Sarita Dawadi, Secretary at the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat Ram Prasad Ghimire, and Senior Energy Expert Prabal Adhikari.
