One year of implementation of MCC sees progress as expected

 Expected achievements have been gained in one year of implementation of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact.

Progress of the project was shared at a news conference organized here on Wednesday on the occasion of completion of one year of implementation of MCC Nepal Compact.

On the occasion, Executive Director of Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Nepal, Khadga Bahadur Bisht shared that the contractor for the 18-km cross-border transmission line segment has been selected and would be awarded within August 2024 and significant progress was made to prepare site for contractors’ access.

Similarly, he mentioned that tender would be called again this year for the construction of 297-kilometer transmission line. MCA-Nepal awarded and signed contracts worth around 126 million US dollars for the construction of three 400 KV GIS substations at three locations from May-July 2024 in Nawalparasi West, Nuwakot and Tanahu.

It was shared that two substations, the New Damauli substation and the Ratmate substation would each have a capacity of 1000 MVA, making them the largest substations in the country.

Contract worth 1.2 million US dollars was signed on 22 July this year to provide advisory support to the economic/financial, technical, legal and policy/institutional regulatory work of the Electricity Regulatory Commission. Furthermore, a contract worth 2.4 million US dollars was signed on 15 July this year to provide consultancy services to enhance electricity use with a focus on preparing Municipal Energy Plans and developing capacities for productive use of electricity within affected wards under the MCA Partnership Program, a benefit-sharing activity under the Electricity Transmission Project.

According to the MCC, the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Report for road maintenance works in the 40-km segment of the road from Dhan Khola to Lamahi in the East-West Highway has been approved. MCA-Nepal has planned to launch the procurement of road maintenance works using Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) technology at the earliest this year.

A two-year one million US dollars Livelihood Restoration Program for 270 project-affected people in Ratmate Substation concluded on 30 May 2024 to pave the way for new businesses and prosperity.

Compensation Fixation Committees have been formed in nine districts to determine compensation of the land while compensation of the land has been fixed in Dhading, Makawanpur and Nawalparasi West.

Forest census works have been completed in nine out of ten project-affected districts and MCA-Nepal is now doing the verification to apply for forest permits, it was shared.

On the occasion, Resident Country Director of MCC in Nepal, Diane Francisco, hoped the MCC project would be enforced within the stipulated time. He expressed happiness over Nepal government's facilitation to expedite the project.

The project is not only for lifting Nepal out of poverty but also for coping with various other problems, he added.

Similarly, US Ambassador to Nepal, Dean Thompson, said all stakeholders concerned were extending cooperation to MCC, so it would be completed in time. The project was forwarded with significance. Thomson also appreciated Nepal government's cooperation to this end.