Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Need should focus on strengthening regional interconnectivity

Experts suggested the need to focus on strengthening regional interconnectivity for desired development of infrastructure in Nepal.
Addressing a session ‘Infrastructure and Regional Connectivity’,  former vice chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Swarnim Wagle said that landlocked nations like Nepal should highly focus on development of infrastructure, interconnectivity, information and technology to generate its own assets. “The government should raise investment to bridge the development gap between cities and rural regions in Nepal," he said, adding that Asia has become the centre of global economy today. “Nepal should effectively take benefit from its strategic location in between India and China.”
According to hi, the government should reform some policy and practical issues to take advantage from this. “The government has been subject to criticism due to some plans and projects that has been introduced without enough groundwork,” he said, adding that the government should increase investment in the productive sector and focus on export of high-value price to address the ballooning trade deficit. “Nepal also needs to enhance air connectivity, execute railways plans, promote digital economy, ensure market for energy along with increasing production of electricity.”
Nepal also should make its presence in regional forums like SAARC, BIMSTEC, BBIN and BRI among others and take benefits, according to him.
Speaking on the occasion, former general manager at World Bank (WB) Noritada Morita said that interconnectivity is the current need of South Asia. "Prior to this, peace was important agenda in South Asia,” he said, adding that the need of South Asian nations today is, however, development of infrastructure and raise per capita income of people.
Likewise, secretary at the Foreign Ministry Shankar Das Bairagi claimed that Nepal has enhanced trade relationship with neighbouring countries in the recent years. “The government is also expanding its network among regional forums to enhance power connectivity, interconnectivity of transmission line, telecommunication, railways, waterways and airways," he informed.
Informing that the government has prepared long-term action plan to develop the energy sector, energy secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, on the occasion, appealed investors to invest in the hydropower. He also said that Nepal will start exporting energy to neighbouring nations in the near future.

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