Ramesh nath Pandey
विश्व रंगमञ्चमा नयाँ घटनाहरू तीव्र गतिमा भइरहेका छन् । विश्वको शक्ति सन्तुलनमा गम्भीर झड्का दिने यी घटनाले दुई दशकदेखि विद्यमान भूमण्डलीय खाका, यसका प्रमुख पात्रहरू र तिनको हैसियतसँगै शक्ति राष्ट्रहरूको सामरिक चिन्तन, विशेष मित्र र सामरिक हिस्सेदारीमा हेरफेर गर्न थालेको छ । चार सातापहिले जर्जियामा रुसको नयाँ चाहना र आपmनो हैसियतमाथिको विश्वास देखिएको थियो । यसले पूर्ण आकार लिने र त्यसलाई नियन्त्रण गर्ने द्वन्द्वले सुरु गरेको परिवर्तनको लहरले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सम्बन्धका सबै फाँटहरूलाई प्रभावित पारेको छ ।
अब परिवर्तनको अर्को चरण एसियामा हुन्ो संकेत छ । चीन र भारतबीच एसियाको नेतृत्वका लागि संघर्ष सुरु हुन थालेको छ । यसले एसियामा स्थायित्व ल्याउँछ कि ठूला शक्तिहरूबीचको द्वन्द्वको अखडा बनाउँछ, विश्व व्यवस्थालाई कस्तो संरचना र दिशातिर अग्रसर तुल्याउँछ भन्नेमा प्रस्ट छैन । तर यसमा कुन्ौ प्रभाव पार्न नसके पनि प्रभाव भोग्न भने बाध्य हुन्ौपर्ने नेपालजस्ता साना राष्ट्रहरूका लागि चिन्ताको भारी निरन्तर गह्रुँगो भएको छ । यो भारले आपmनो अस्तित्वलाई नै थिच्न नपाओस् र निर्माण हुन्ा थालेको भविष्यमा पनि आपmना आधारभूत स्वार्थहरू सुरक्षित राख्न सकियोस् भनेर अहिलेदेखि नेपाल सचेत हुन्ाुपर्छ । यसका लागि आवश्यक क्षमता बनाउन राष्ट्रिय शक्तिहरूको मन मिल्नै पर्छ ।
हाम्रा छरछिमेकमा र विश्वशक्तिहरूको सम्बन्धको आधारभूत संरचनामा बहन थालेको मूलभूत परिवर्तनको हावाले यो एक साताभित्र थुप्रै झड्का दिएको छ । ४५ सदस्यीय परमाणु आपूर्ति समूह -एनएसजी) मा प्रवेश पाएपछि ३० वर्षदेखि भोगिरहेको आणविक नाकाबन्दीबाट भारतले मुक्ति पाएको छ । विश्व राजनीतिको प्रासंगिक शक्ति बन्ने भारतको धेरै पुरानो महत्त्वाकांक्षा पूरा हुने बाटो खुलेको छ । यसका साथै भारतको रणनीतिक दूरदृष्टि तथा नयाँदिल्ली र वासिङ्टनबीचको सामरिक घनिष्टता पनि नयाँ चरणमा प्रवेश गरेको छ । यसरी एसियामा अमेरिकाको लक्ष्य नजिकिएकाले चीन र भारतबीचको सम्बन्धमा पर्ने असर, जापानसमक्ष प्रस्तुत हुन्ो अत्यन्तै सीमित विकल्प, रुसको भूमण्डलीय हैसियत पुनस्र्थापनाको आकांक्षामा पर्ने प्रभाव नेपालको वर्तमान र भविष्यका लागि महत्त्वपूर्ण हुन्ोछ ।
विश्वमा आर्थिक शक्ति बन्न अग्रसर भारतका लागि ऊर्जाको बढ्दो आवश्यकता पूरा गर्न भरपर्दो नयाँ स्रोतहरूको खोजी अहिले उच्चतम राष्ट्रिय प्राथमिकता बनेको छ । उसको विद्युतीय शक्ति विकासको प्रगति अत्यन्तै मन्द रहेको छ । निरन्तर मूल्यवृद्धि हँुदै गएको तेल र ग्यासको आपूर्तिमा पनि अनिश्चितता बढ्दै गएकाले भरपर्दो आपूर्ति स्रोत खोज्न ऊ हतारिएको हो । यसमा सफल हुन्ा सकेन भने विश्व आर्थिक शक्तिहरूमध्येको एक बन्ने उसको सपना पूरा हुन्ो छैन । एनएसजीमा प्रवेश पाएपछि अब भारतलाई ऊर्जा उत्पादन गर्न आणविक भट्टीहरूका लागि आवश्यक युरोनियम विश्व बजारबाट किन्ने बाटो खुलेको छ । तर भियनामा प्राप्त यो सफलताले राष्ट्रिय राजनीति र वैदेशिक सम्बन्धको रणनीतिमा गम्भीर लपेटाइ भने तत्कालै पर्न थालेको छ ।
केही महिनापछि हुन्ो आमचुनावलाई आपmनो पक्षमा बनाउन भारतका प्रमुख पार्टीहरू अमेरिकासितको आणविक सम्बन्धविरुद्ध उभिएका छन् । नेहरूकालीन परराष्ट्र नीतिको असंलग्न धार त्यागेर अमेरिका संलग्न भएको र भविष्यमा आणविक परीक्षण गर्ने भारतको सार्वभौम हकसमेत गुमाएको आरोप लगाउँदै भारतीय जनता पार्टी र वामपन्थी पार्टीहरूले 'राष्ट्रवाद र राष्ट्रिय सम्मान' बचाउने नारा दिएका छन् । भारतको जनस्तरको राजनीतिमा अमेरिका विवादको प्रमुख मुद्दा बनेपछि स्वाभाविक रूपमा क्षेत्रीय
परिदृश्य तात्नेछ । अनि यो क्षेत्रमा अमेरिकाको प्रभुत्व कायम हुन्ो सम्भावनालाई असजिलो नजरले हेरिरहेका बाह्य शक्तिहरूको सक्रिय संलग्नताका लागि ढोका खुल्छ । यहाँनिर नेपालको हितमा विचारणीय तीनवटा पक्षहरू छन् ।
१) चीनले एनएसजीमा भारतको प्रवेशलाई रोक्न नसके पनि आपmनो अनिच्छा र अप्रसन्नता लुकाएन । पाकिस्तान र भारतबीचको सामरिक सन्तुलन बनिरहेास् भन्ने चीनको चाहनामा नयाँदिल्ली र वासिङ्टनबीचको आणविक सम्बन्ध र भियनाको परिणामले ठेस लागेकै हो । एनएसजीमा भारतलाई प्रवेश गराउन अमेरिकाले लिएको अति सक्रिय भूमिका र राष्ट्रपति बुसले चिनियाँ राष्ट्रपतिलाई फोन गरेर 'भारतको बाटो नछेक्न दिएको चेतावनी' लेे एसियाको शक्ति सन्तुलनमा तनावयुक्त नयाँ चरण प्रारम्भ गरेको छ ।
२) गएको मंगलबार शपथग्रहण गरेका पाकिस्तानी राष्ट्रपति जर्दारीले आगामी साता चीन गएर 'पाकिस्तानको ऊर्जा आवश्यकता पूरा गर्न आणविक सामग्री दिने' सम्झौता गर्ने जानकारी इस्लामावादले दिएको छ । यसरी भारत र अमेरिका एकातिर उभिएका छन् भने चीन र पाकिस्तान अर्कोतिर । एसियामा परिवर्तन हुन्ा थालेको शक्ति सन्तुलनमा अमेरिका र भारतलाई खुला मैदान नदिन बेइजिङ कटिबद्ध भएको भनेर यसलाई बुभmन उचित हुन्ोछ ।
३) यदि अत्यन्तै महँगो भए पनि आणविक ऊर्जा विकासको गति तीव्र हुन्ा थाल्यो भने चर्को राजनीतिक मूल्य चुकाएर नेपालको जलस्रोतलाई आपसी हितमा उपयोग गर्ने शीघ्रता भारतले महसुस गर्ने छैन । यसले नेपालसित उसको मोलतोल गर्ने क्षमता बढाउनेछ । यसैले जलस्रोतलाई बाढीपहिरो र विनाशको स्रोतमा सीमित हुन्ा नदिन ऊर्जा विकासमा उपयोग गर्न नेपालले अब हतारिनै पर्ने भएको छ । आर्थिक विकासका लागि अन्य राष्ट्रिय स्रोत नभएको नेपालले हेक्का राख्नै पर्ने प्रमुख पक्ष यही हो । तर प्रमुख चार दलहरू चार दिशातिर मुन्टो बटारेर बसेको अहिलेको नेपालमा के यो सम्भव होला ?
अब प्रश्न आउँछ, सोभियत संघको विघटनसँगै गुमेको विश्वशक्तिको हैसियत फिर्ता लिन कम्मर कसेको रुस अब कहाँ उभिन्छ ? एसियाको भूराजनीतिक र सामरिक धरातललाई आपmनो पक्षमा हेरफेर गर्ने अमेरिकाको रणनीतिक लक्ष्य प्राप्तिको हिस्सेदार बनेको भारत अमेरिकाकै बलमा एनएसजीमा प्रवेश गरेपछि रुसको निधारमा गाँठो पर्न थालेको छ । 'एक ध्रुवीय विश्वव्यवस्था अब स्वीकार्य नहुन्ो' रूसी राष्ट्रपतिको घोषणा र रूससितको गैरसैनिक आणविक सहयोग सम्बन्धविच्छेद गरेको अमेरिकी घोषणा यसैको परिणाम हो । सैनिक सामग्रीको आवश्यकताको ८० प्रतिशत रूसबाट आयात गरिरहेको भारत वासिङ्टनसित सामरिक घनिष्टता बढ्दै गएपछि आणविक इन्धन र परम्परागत शस्त्रास्त्रका लागि अमेरिकालाई छान्न बाध्य हुन्ो अवस्था छ । तर पेट्रोलियम पदार्थका लागि रूसी महासंघ र इरानसित हात बढाउनैपर्ने बाध्यताले भारतका लागि रोजाइ सरल छैन । यहाँनेर अमेरिकासितको सामरिक सम्बन्ध छेकबार बन्नेछ । ऊर्जाको बढ्दो आवश्यकता र घट्दै गएको आपूर्तिको भरपर्दो स्रोतले भारतले यो छेकबार हटाउन खोज्यो भने अमेरिकाले यो क्षेत्रका लागि नयाँ रणनीति बनाउनेछ र यसका लागि नयाँ सहयोगी पनि खोज्नेछ । परिणाममा सम्पूर्ण परिदृश्य फेरिनेछ ।
अहिले प्राकृतिक स्रोत भण्डारबाट आर्जित शक्तिलाई राष्ट्रवादको प्रतीक तथा आपmनो प्रभावक्षेत्र विस्तारका अस्त्रको रूपमा प्रयोग गर्ने होड चलेको छ । यसले लोकतन्त्र र मानवीय मूल्यलाई वैदेशिक सम्बन्धको निर्देशक सिद्धान्त मान्ने मान्यतालाई त्यागेर ठूला र मझौला शक्तिहरूको परराष्ट्र नीति आपmनो भौतिक आवश्यकताका आपूर्तिमै केन्दि्रत बनाएको छ । सैनिक शासकहरूसित 'घनिष्ट दोस्ती' बनाएर भारतले म्यान्मारको ग्यासमा आँखा लगाइसकेको छ । सेनाद्वारा स्थापित र सेनाकै बलमा रहेको बंगलादेशको सरकार आपmनो भूमि भएर भारतका लागि म्यानमारको ग्यास पाइपलाइन बिछ्याउन सहमत भएको छ । सुडानको तेलखानीमा ठूलो लगानी भएका भारत र चीन ऊर्जाको स्वार्थमा अंकुश लाग्ने डरले खार्तुमलाई आपmना जनताप्रति २१ औं शताब्दी सुहाउँदो सभ्य व्यवहार गर्ने सल्लाह दिन पनि तयार छैनन् । भारतीय उपमहाद्वीपको शक्ति सन्तुलनको भविष्यको अवस्था तिब्बतमा बुन्न थालिएको जालो कति चाँडै कति बाक्लो हुन्छ वा यसलाई रोक्ने प्रयास कति बहुमुखी र प्रभावकारी हुन्छ भन्ने प्रश्नको जवाफमा निर्भर छ ।
यसरी अनिश्चय बढ्दै गएकेा अवस्थामा राष्ट्रिय एकता नै हाम्रो चिन्तन हुन्ाुपर्छ । नेपालका लागि गौरवशाली लामो इतिहासको अंशियार भएको हेक्का राख्दै 'हामी राष्ट्रवादलाई सर्वोपरि ठान्ने नेपाली हाँै' भन्ने राष्ट्रिय एकताको सर्वमान्य आधारलाई बलियो पार्नुपर्छ । हामी राष्ट्रिय पहिचान गुमाएर पनि बाँच्न चाहने जाति हेाइनौं, स्वतन्त्र राष्ट्रको स्वाभिमानी नेपाली हौँ भन्ने सोच सबैलाई मान्य एउटै सूत्रमा एकताबद्ध बनाउने सर्वशक्तिवान शक्ति हो । यही शक्तिले मात्रै विश्व परिस्थिति जता मोडिए पनि हाम्रो राष्ट्रिय स्वार्थलाई सुरक्षित राख्न सक्छ । इतिहासले रोजेको पुस्ता बन्ने अवसर हाम्रो सामुन्ने छ । आत्मसम्मानको पर्यायवाची बनेको नेपालको इतिहासले धिक्कार्ने जोखिम पनि सामुन्ने नै छ ।
(-लेखक पूर्वपरराष्ट्रमन्त्री हुन् ।)
Posted on: 2008-09-11 22:36:38
Friday, September 12, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hydel promoters will have to find their own buyers [ 2008-1-7 ]
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=33751
By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, Jan. 6: Minister for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said Sunday that the promoters of Upper Karnali, Arun III and Budhi Gandaki hydro power projects themselves should search for electricity market after the completion of the projects.
Speaking at a press meet today, Minister Karki said the government had made the policy of buying 10 per cent electricity for domestic use from the exportable project.
The Upper Karnali, Arun III and Budhi Gandaki hydropower projects have the capacity of 300 MW, 400MW and 600MW respectively.
He said that the ministry has formulated a four-member task force under former secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya for providing permission for the construction of the projects.
According to the Ministry of Water Resources, it had received 14 proposals for Upper Karnali, nine for Arun III and two for Budhi Gandaki projects. There are 11 Indian, two Chinese and one Dutch companies bidding for the Upper Karnali. For Arun III, there are seven Indian and two Chinese companies.
After the evaluation by the task force, the GMR Energy Limited, India has been placed top for the Upper Karnali hydropower project. The others in chronological order are Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh (KSK), Electricity Financing Pvt. Ltd., India, Reliance Energy Limited, Mumbai, India, Satluj Jal Vidhyut Nigam (SJVN), Jindal Steel & Power Ltd., Athena Projects Pvt. Ltd., Larsen and Toubro Limted, Jaiprakash Associates Limited, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd. Bhilwara Energy Limited (LNJ Bhilwal Group) and Maytas Infra Pvt. Ltd. The two Chinese companies are Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. and China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd and the Dutch company is Brakel Corporation NV. The three non-Indian companies have come at the bottom in the evaluation criteria.
For Arun III project, also GMR Energy Limited of India has been placed at top in the evaluation criteria. The other companies are Satluj Jal Vidhyut Nigam, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, Reliance Energy Limited, Jaiprakash Associates Limited, Larson and Toubro (all Indian), Sinohydro Corporation Limited of China, Maytas Infra Pvt.Ltd. of India and China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd. of China.
The statement said none of the two companies bidding for the Budhi Gandaki project could meet the required criteria.
The Minister said that the cabinet had decided to award only one project to one company and the top bidder would be invited for negotiation with the provision of providing the maximum percent of free energy as provided by other bidders before awarding the contract. If the top bidder fail to meet the condition then other bidders in chronological order will be invited for negotiation. If that too failed, then the bidder offering maximum free energy would be awarded the contract.
According to the ministry, the bidders will have to deposit in advance of Rs. 100,000 per MW before the permission of survey license. This is done to ensure the construction of the project after the contract negotiation, it said.
He said that the government is preparing to import 40 MW electricity from India to help ease the shortage of energy.
By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, Jan. 6: Minister for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said Sunday that the promoters of Upper Karnali, Arun III and Budhi Gandaki hydro power projects themselves should search for electricity market after the completion of the projects.
Speaking at a press meet today, Minister Karki said the government had made the policy of buying 10 per cent electricity for domestic use from the exportable project.
The Upper Karnali, Arun III and Budhi Gandaki hydropower projects have the capacity of 300 MW, 400MW and 600MW respectively.
He said that the ministry has formulated a four-member task force under former secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya for providing permission for the construction of the projects.
According to the Ministry of Water Resources, it had received 14 proposals for Upper Karnali, nine for Arun III and two for Budhi Gandaki projects. There are 11 Indian, two Chinese and one Dutch companies bidding for the Upper Karnali. For Arun III, there are seven Indian and two Chinese companies.
After the evaluation by the task force, the GMR Energy Limited, India has been placed top for the Upper Karnali hydropower project. The others in chronological order are Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh (KSK), Electricity Financing Pvt. Ltd., India, Reliance Energy Limited, Mumbai, India, Satluj Jal Vidhyut Nigam (SJVN), Jindal Steel & Power Ltd., Athena Projects Pvt. Ltd., Larsen and Toubro Limted, Jaiprakash Associates Limited, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd. Bhilwara Energy Limited (LNJ Bhilwal Group) and Maytas Infra Pvt. Ltd. The two Chinese companies are Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. and China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd and the Dutch company is Brakel Corporation NV. The three non-Indian companies have come at the bottom in the evaluation criteria.
For Arun III project, also GMR Energy Limited of India has been placed at top in the evaluation criteria. The other companies are Satluj Jal Vidhyut Nigam, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, Reliance Energy Limited, Jaiprakash Associates Limited, Larson and Toubro (all Indian), Sinohydro Corporation Limited of China, Maytas Infra Pvt.Ltd. of India and China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd. of China.
The statement said none of the two companies bidding for the Budhi Gandaki project could meet the required criteria.
The Minister said that the cabinet had decided to award only one project to one company and the top bidder would be invited for negotiation with the provision of providing the maximum percent of free energy as provided by other bidders before awarding the contract. If the top bidder fail to meet the condition then other bidders in chronological order will be invited for negotiation. If that too failed, then the bidder offering maximum free energy would be awarded the contract.
According to the ministry, the bidders will have to deposit in advance of Rs. 100,000 per MW before the permission of survey license. This is done to ensure the construction of the project after the contract negotiation, it said.
He said that the government is preparing to import 40 MW electricity from India to help ease the shortage of energy.
Nepal: India gulps Arun-III and Upper Karnali
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=2630
TGW - Who else better knows on how to fish in Nepal’s troubled waters than India, Nepal’s traditional arm twister?
Let’s call it a black day-December 30, 2007, when the caretaker interim government of Nepal under India elevated Prime Minister Shri Girija Prasad Koirala “submitted” the Arun-III and the Upper Karnali mega hydro projects to some Indian companies.
The Koirala cabinet made a hasty decision to award this contract to the Indian company this Sunday to which it is not authorized.
A care taker government in the transitional period and that too an unstable one can in no way decide the fate of such mega projects to be handed over to the Indian companies.
However, the Nepal government under the direct instructions of Koirala allowed India to “gulp” the Arun-III and the Upper Karnali projects almost at a dirt cheap price.
This decision has been taken at a time when the Natural Resource Parliamentary committee had warned the government not to act in haste.
However, close on the heels of the RAW-Research Analysis Wing Chief, Mr. Chaturvedi’s departure from his four day secret trip to Kathmandu, this Himalayan decision has been taken.
Sources in the Water Resources ministry say that the government under Koirala must have amassed colossal amount of wealth out of this, what is being termed as an “anti-national deal”.
The lucky Indian company that bagged this award through back door channel is GMR Energy Limited.
“If India is in the neighborhood, one doesn’t need enemy”, claim analysts.
The RAW Chief met Koirala twice during his four days stint here, reports claim.
[With strong inputs from Drithi Vernacular Weekly, 1 January, 08]
TGW - Who else better knows on how to fish in Nepal’s troubled waters than India, Nepal’s traditional arm twister?
Let’s call it a black day-December 30, 2007, when the caretaker interim government of Nepal under India elevated Prime Minister Shri Girija Prasad Koirala “submitted” the Arun-III and the Upper Karnali mega hydro projects to some Indian companies.
The Koirala cabinet made a hasty decision to award this contract to the Indian company this Sunday to which it is not authorized.
A care taker government in the transitional period and that too an unstable one can in no way decide the fate of such mega projects to be handed over to the Indian companies.
However, the Nepal government under the direct instructions of Koirala allowed India to “gulp” the Arun-III and the Upper Karnali projects almost at a dirt cheap price.
This decision has been taken at a time when the Natural Resource Parliamentary committee had warned the government not to act in haste.
However, close on the heels of the RAW-Research Analysis Wing Chief, Mr. Chaturvedi’s departure from his four day secret trip to Kathmandu, this Himalayan decision has been taken.
Sources in the Water Resources ministry say that the government under Koirala must have amassed colossal amount of wealth out of this, what is being termed as an “anti-national deal”.
The lucky Indian company that bagged this award through back door channel is GMR Energy Limited.
“If India is in the neighborhood, one doesn’t need enemy”, claim analysts.
The RAW Chief met Koirala twice during his four days stint here, reports claim.
[With strong inputs from Drithi Vernacular Weekly, 1 January, 08]
India's GMR Group bags Nepal hydropower project
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=120111dd-040c-471e-86ca-0cfe3e4bf8c6&MatchID1=4628&TeamID1=1&TeamID2=6&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1165&PrimaryID=4628&Headline=India's+GMR+Group+bags+Nepal+hydropower+project
Indian infrastructure projects major GMR Group has been awarded a major hydropower project in Nepal after several political obstacles, paving the way for more Indian firms to enter one of the most lucrative sectors in the Himalayan nation.
The Bangalore-based GMR Energy has signed a pact with Nepal's ministry of water resources to develop the 309 MW Upper Karnali hydropower project in one of the most inaccessible and underdeveloped regions of Nepal, officials said.
GMR's senior vice-president Avinash Shah signed the deal that will give power-starved Nepal 12 per cent free energy, amounting to about 36 MW.
Despite the Maoists earlier asking the government not to sign any major deal before the April election and a French company threatening to move court, saying it had been granted an earlier licence, GMR has beaten 13 contenders.
The mega power projects signed between the governments of India and Nepal are yet to get off the ground due to political hostility.
When GMR had first bid for the project, it had offered 7.5 per cent free energy to Nepal and 33 per cent free equity, officials said. Its competitors included Reliance Energy and the Jindal Group.
After the Nepal government formed a committee headed by former finance secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya to assess the bids, GMR was declared the best bet for both Upper Karnali and the 402 MW Arun-III projects.
Yet, a cabinet committee decided that bids would be re-evaluated on the basis of who offered the highest amount of free energy, even though Nepal underwent six hours of power outages daily and faced a 11-hour daily outage in dry months.
After five days of negotiations, GMR agreed to increase its free energy offer and will give Nepal 27 per cent free equity, officials said.
The ministry said it would now begin negotiations for Arun-III. But GMR will not get another project since a parliamentary committee has directed the government not to award more than one project to a company at a time.
The directive is expected to be a blessing for the second contender for Arun-III project - India's Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam, which will begin negotiations with the concerned ministry. Talks are to start in the first week of February.
GMR is reportedly targeting to wrap up the initial spadework for the project in two-and-a-half years while construction would take four to five years. Before that, it will have to pay the government around $7,900 per MW as bank guarantee and a fifth of that per MW for project survey.
The breaking of the ice in Nepal's hydropower sector is an outcome of a push by the Indian government and Nepal's finance ministry, officials said. India's outgoing ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherje had said last year that hydropower had the ability to kick-start Nepal's floundering economy.
Indian infrastructure projects major GMR Group has been awarded a major hydropower project in Nepal after several political obstacles, paving the way for more Indian firms to enter one of the most lucrative sectors in the Himalayan nation.
The Bangalore-based GMR Energy has signed a pact with Nepal's ministry of water resources to develop the 309 MW Upper Karnali hydropower project in one of the most inaccessible and underdeveloped regions of Nepal, officials said.
GMR's senior vice-president Avinash Shah signed the deal that will give power-starved Nepal 12 per cent free energy, amounting to about 36 MW.
Despite the Maoists earlier asking the government not to sign any major deal before the April election and a French company threatening to move court, saying it had been granted an earlier licence, GMR has beaten 13 contenders.
The mega power projects signed between the governments of India and Nepal are yet to get off the ground due to political hostility.
When GMR had first bid for the project, it had offered 7.5 per cent free energy to Nepal and 33 per cent free equity, officials said. Its competitors included Reliance Energy and the Jindal Group.
After the Nepal government formed a committee headed by former finance secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya to assess the bids, GMR was declared the best bet for both Upper Karnali and the 402 MW Arun-III projects.
Yet, a cabinet committee decided that bids would be re-evaluated on the basis of who offered the highest amount of free energy, even though Nepal underwent six hours of power outages daily and faced a 11-hour daily outage in dry months.
After five days of negotiations, GMR agreed to increase its free energy offer and will give Nepal 27 per cent free equity, officials said.
The ministry said it would now begin negotiations for Arun-III. But GMR will not get another project since a parliamentary committee has directed the government not to award more than one project to a company at a time.
The directive is expected to be a blessing for the second contender for Arun-III project - India's Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam, which will begin negotiations with the concerned ministry. Talks are to start in the first week of February.
GMR is reportedly targeting to wrap up the initial spadework for the project in two-and-a-half years while construction would take four to five years. Before that, it will have to pay the government around $7,900 per MW as bank guarantee and a fifth of that per MW for project survey.
The breaking of the ice in Nepal's hydropower sector is an outcome of a push by the Indian government and Nepal's finance ministry, officials said. India's outgoing ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherje had said last year that hydropower had the ability to kick-start Nepal's floundering economy.
GMR bags power project in Nepal
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=12&theme=&usrsess=1&id=187541
Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI, Jan. 25: GMR Energy has outbid rival Jindal Steel and Power to bag a 300 mw hydropower project in Nepal, after the former agreed to give 12 per cent free electricity from the project to that country.
“GMR Energy has bagged the Upper Karnali project. An MoU to this effect was signed last night,” an official close to the development said.
GMR Energy, a 100 per cent subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure, was a front runner for Upper Karnali and 402 mw Arun-III project. However, it lagged behind Jindal Steel and Power after the Nepal government changed parameters for awarding the projects early this month.
While permitting foreign investment from Indian companies in the hydropower sector, Nepal had decided to award the projects to developer who offers the maximum free power to the country. It also decided to give only one project to a company.
Nepal is seeking 124 mw free power from the two projects. GMR would offer close to 36 mw free power from the 300 mw project to the Himalayan nation.
“The Nepal government was asking for 33 per cent equity in the project and has now agreed for 27 per cent,” the official said denying to divulge any financial details.
The projects were awaiting clearance from the Nepal government for quite some time. While Upper Karnali received 14 proposals, nine companies bid for Arun III.
Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI, Jan. 25: GMR Energy has outbid rival Jindal Steel and Power to bag a 300 mw hydropower project in Nepal, after the former agreed to give 12 per cent free electricity from the project to that country.
“GMR Energy has bagged the Upper Karnali project. An MoU to this effect was signed last night,” an official close to the development said.
GMR Energy, a 100 per cent subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure, was a front runner for Upper Karnali and 402 mw Arun-III project. However, it lagged behind Jindal Steel and Power after the Nepal government changed parameters for awarding the projects early this month.
While permitting foreign investment from Indian companies in the hydropower sector, Nepal had decided to award the projects to developer who offers the maximum free power to the country. It also decided to give only one project to a company.
Nepal is seeking 124 mw free power from the two projects. GMR would offer close to 36 mw free power from the 300 mw project to the Himalayan nation.
“The Nepal government was asking for 33 per cent equity in the project and has now agreed for 27 per cent,” the official said denying to divulge any financial details.
The projects were awaiting clearance from the Nepal government for quite some time. While Upper Karnali received 14 proposals, nine companies bid for Arun III.
GMR lands 300 MW Upper Karnali
BY BIKASH SANGRAULA
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=135259
KATHMANDU, Jan 25 - After five successive days of negotiations, the government decided late Thursday to award the 300 MW Upper Karnali project to India's GMR Energy Ltd.
The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a GMR team led by its Senior Vice President Avinash Shah Thursday evening, according to Anup Kumar Upadhyay, joint secretary at MoWR.
The decision was taken after GMR agreed to increase its free energy offer to Nepal from 7.5 percent to 12 percent (36 MW), said Upadhyay, who participated in the negotiations.
However, GMR's free equity offer has been dropped from 33 percent to 27 percent to compensate for the increase in the free energy component. GMR will also pay export tax and royalties to Nepal according to existing legal provisions, said Upadhyay.
"We signed an MoU incorporating these agreements," said Upadhyaya, who is a member of the team formed by the cabinet on December 30 to renegotiate the Upper Karnali and 402 MW Arun III projects with prospective developers.
The cabinet had directed the team to renegotiate the projects, with free energy as the highest priority for Nepal. The cabinet set 12 percent free energy from the Upper Karnali and 21.9 percent (88 MW) free energy from the 402 MW Arun III as base benefits for Nepal.
The cabinet had also directed the team to start negotiations with developers in the order of the ranking prepared last year by a taskforce led by former secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya.
GMR was ranked as the company with the best proposals for both projects from among the 14 companies interested in Upper Karnali and nine companies interest in Arun III. Since GMR is getting the Upper Karnali, the team will now negotiate Arun III with the second ranked developer, India's Sutlej Jal Vidhyut Nigam. The cabinet had also directed the team to award only one project to one developer.
"We have invited Sutlej for negotiations on February 3," Upadhyay said.
GMR will have to pay the government Rs 100,000 per MW for project survey, and Rs 500,000 per MW in bank deposit before starting project construction.
Upper Karnali as well as Arun III are being developed to export power to India.
Though the Acharya taskforce had recommended that both projects be awarded to GMR, parliament's Natural Resources and Means Committee later directed the government to review the recommendation making free energy as the topmost priority.
GMR has set a target of 2.5 years for preparatory work on the project, and 4.5 years for construction.
Posted on: 2008-01-24 21:16:25 (Server Time)
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=135259
KATHMANDU, Jan 25 - After five successive days of negotiations, the government decided late Thursday to award the 300 MW Upper Karnali project to India's GMR Energy Ltd.
The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a GMR team led by its Senior Vice President Avinash Shah Thursday evening, according to Anup Kumar Upadhyay, joint secretary at MoWR.
The decision was taken after GMR agreed to increase its free energy offer to Nepal from 7.5 percent to 12 percent (36 MW), said Upadhyay, who participated in the negotiations.
However, GMR's free equity offer has been dropped from 33 percent to 27 percent to compensate for the increase in the free energy component. GMR will also pay export tax and royalties to Nepal according to existing legal provisions, said Upadhyay.
"We signed an MoU incorporating these agreements," said Upadhyaya, who is a member of the team formed by the cabinet on December 30 to renegotiate the Upper Karnali and 402 MW Arun III projects with prospective developers.
The cabinet had directed the team to renegotiate the projects, with free energy as the highest priority for Nepal. The cabinet set 12 percent free energy from the Upper Karnali and 21.9 percent (88 MW) free energy from the 402 MW Arun III as base benefits for Nepal.
The cabinet had also directed the team to start negotiations with developers in the order of the ranking prepared last year by a taskforce led by former secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya.
GMR was ranked as the company with the best proposals for both projects from among the 14 companies interested in Upper Karnali and nine companies interest in Arun III. Since GMR is getting the Upper Karnali, the team will now negotiate Arun III with the second ranked developer, India's Sutlej Jal Vidhyut Nigam. The cabinet had also directed the team to award only one project to one developer.
"We have invited Sutlej for negotiations on February 3," Upadhyay said.
GMR will have to pay the government Rs 100,000 per MW for project survey, and Rs 500,000 per MW in bank deposit before starting project construction.
Upper Karnali as well as Arun III are being developed to export power to India.
Though the Acharya taskforce had recommended that both projects be awarded to GMR, parliament's Natural Resources and Means Committee later directed the government to review the recommendation making free energy as the topmost priority.
GMR has set a target of 2.5 years for preparatory work on the project, and 4.5 years for construction.
Posted on: 2008-01-24 21:16:25 (Server Time)
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