Showing posts with label South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Modi Has Been A Blessing For Nepal

English: Image of Narendra Modi at the World E...
English: Image of Narendra Modi at the World Economic Forum in India (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
India's $3-billion investment might be gamechanger for Nepal
Within just six months at the helm, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi injected over $3 billion of investments into Nepal, a possible gamechanger in Nepal-India relations that may entirely change the economic landscape of the Himalayan nation. ...... Nepal's economy, the size of which is a mere $62.384 billion ........ This has also rekindled hopes that the much touted and ambitious Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, which was initially signed some 17 years ago between Nepal and India, is all set to take off. ...... The 6,720-MW project will cost over $6 billion and the two sides are ready to set up the Pancheshwar Development Authority within a couple of months. ........... Nepal and India have been discussing building the Upper Karnali project for 30 years and Arun III for six years. ...... "It is only possible due to the charismatic leadership of Modi," Chirinjivi Nepal, economic advisor to Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, told IANS. ..... the question was whether the hardcore anti-India nationalism prevailing in some political classes in Nepal would let these projects go ahead because the hardliner Maoist faction has been upping the ante against the Upper Karnali and Arun III.

Monday, December 01, 2014

Bad Politics, Poor Nepal, Untapped Water Resources

नेपालमा एउटा घातक political class छ जसले नेपाललाई अहिलेसम्म गरीब बनाएर राखेको हो र त्यसै रुपमा राखि रहन चाहन्छ। नेपालको नदी जब भारत पुग्छ, त्यो नदी र त्यो पानी भारतको भयो। त्यो अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मान्यता र कानुन हो। तर भारतले त्यस्ता आफ्ना नदी नालाका बारे योजना बनाउँदा शंकाको दृष्टिले हेर्ने? नदी नालाको देश हुँदैन। देश बनाएको मान्छेले हो। बिजुली उत्पादन, बाढ़ी पहिरो नियन्त्रण, सिंचाई का लागि योजना बनाउँदा comprehensive किसिमले हेर्नु पर्ने हुन्छ। बिहार मा flood control गर्न नेपालको सीमाना भित्र नै केही गर्नु पर्ने हुन्छ। त्यो नेपालका लागि समस्या कसरी भयो? त्यस्ता परियोजनाबाट नेपाल का लागि पनि सकेसम्म कसरी फाइदा लिने, त्यता तर्फ सोच्ने हो। बार्गेनिंग गर्ने हो, लिंडे ढिपी नगर्ने हो। नेपालको गरीबीलाई नेपालको राष्ट्रियता ठान्ने तत्व हरु बाट सावधान।

दिल्ली र बेइजिंग का मानिस दिन भरि नेपाल बारे सोंचेर बस्छन् भन्ने भ्रम फाल्ने हो। त्यो यथार्थ होइन। दिल्ली र बेइजिंग दुवै एक अर्का को अर्थतंत्रमा योगदान पुर्याउन खोजेका ताकत हुन। दुबैको समस्या गरीबी भन्ने कुरा दुबैलाई थाहा छ। नेपाल काले पनि थाहा पाउनु पर्ने कुरा त्यही नै हो। विकासको काममा बाधा नबन्ने। Thank You भन्न सिक्ने, appreciate गर्ने।

१००% पूँजी लगाउने, १००% काम गर्ने प्राइवेट कम्पनीले त्यो परियोजना बाट उत्पादन हुने बिजुली १००% नेपाल लाई दिने कुरा त आउँदैन। १००% नेपाललाई दिन पर्यो भनेर तर्क सार्ने हरु पनि देखिएका छन।

नेपालमा गार्हो पर्यो भने भारतीय कंपनी भुटान जान्छ, गएको पनि छ। FDI देश भित्र ल्याउन compete गर्ने हो। आउन लागेको FDI लाई पनि धपाउने होइन।

Modi Noticed A "Trust Deficit"
नेपालको नदीहरुमा भारतको गिद्दे दृष्टि

South Asia’s hydro-politics Water in them hills Bad politics should no longer prevent Nepal and its neighbours making the most of some amazing geology




Himalayan rivers, fed by glacial meltwater and monsoon rain, offer an immense resource. They could spin turbines to light up swathes of energy-starved South Asia. Exports of electricity and power for Nepal’s own homes and factories could invigorate the dirt-poor economy. National income per person in Nepal was just $692 last year, below half the level for South Asia as a whole. ...... South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation ..... Governments think the normally rudderless body could find a purpose in energy integration ....... Research done for Britain’s Department for International Development suggests four big hydro projects could earn Nepal a total of $17 billion in the next 30 years—not bad considering its GDP last year was a mere $19 billion. ...... All Nepal’s rivers, if tapped, could feasibly produce about 40GW of clean energy—a sixth of India’s total installed capacity today. Add the rivers of Pakistan, Bhutan and north India (see map) and the total trebles. Bhutan has made progress: 3GW of hydro plants are to be built to produce electricity exports. The three already generating produce 1GW out of a total of 1.5GW from hydro. These rely on Indian loans, expertise and labour. ....... In Nepal projects were once scuppered by local politics, a ten-year civil war, suspicion of India and a lack of regulation that put off creditors. ...... the terms of the projects look generous to the host. For Upper Karnali, GMR will set aside 12% of electricity production, free, for Nepali consumers. It will also give Nepal a 27% stake in the venture. After 25 years of operation the plant will be handed to Nepal. ........ radical change that opened India’s domestic power market a decade ago. Big private firms now generate and trade electricity there and look abroad for projects ...... South Asia will have to triple its energy production over the next 20 years. Integrating power grids and letting firms trade electricity internationally would be a big help. It would expand market opportunities and allow more varied use of energy sources to help meet differing peak demand. Nepal could export to India in summer, for example, to run fans and air conditioners. India would export energy back uphill in winter when Nepali rivers dry and turbines stop spinning. ..... Governments that learn to handle energy investments by the billion might manage to attract other industries, too. Nepal’s abundant limestone, for example, would tempt cement producers once power supplies are sufficient. In the mountains, it is not only treks that are rewarding.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

SAARC Observations

English: Benazir Bhutto, photographed at Chand...
English: Benazir Bhutto, photographed at Chandini Restaurant, Newark, CA by iFaqeer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
(1) Isolating Pakistan Would Be A Bad Idea

(2) China Should Try And Go Back To Double Digit Growth Rates And The Way To Do That Is Through Bold Political Reforms To Eventually Lead To Political Pluralism

(3) India Is About To Become The Fastest Growing Economy On The Planet And Nepal Is Wanting To Miss Out

(4) The Army And The Intelligence Services In Pakistan Are Not Exactly Under Pakistan's Parliament And Not Exactly Under The Pakistani Prime Minister

(5) Pakistan Is As Much Under Attack By Islamic Extremists Internally As Is India, That The Pakistani Intelligence Services Use Them When Convenient Does Not Make It Black And White

(6) The Only Way South Asia Can Compete With Europe Economically Is If Pakistan And India Normalize Their Relations

(7) In A Democracy The Army Is Strictly Under The Parliament, And Pakistan Is Not A Full Democracy In That Sense

(8) America Can Help Pakistan Become A Fuller Democracy

(9) India Can Help Nepal Become A Fuller Democracy: The Nepal Army Also Needs To Be Brought Completely Under The Parliament

(10) The Muslims Are In India What Blacks Are In America: That Needs To Change

An Optimistic Scenario

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Three Hydro Deals

मैले साँचै नै बुझन खोजेको कुरा जल सम्पदाबारे

भारतीय कम्पनीले $1.04 billion को लागतमा ९०० मेगावाट बिद्युत उत्पादन गर्छ भने र चिनिया कम्पनीले $1.6 billion को लागतमा ७५० मेगावाट बिद्युत उत्पादन गर्छ भने भारतीय कम्पनीको काम राम्रो देखियो। र भारतले यसरी अग्रसरता नदेखाए सम्म बिश्व बाजार को पुंजी नेपाल आउने वाला छैन। भारतको अन्ध विरोध गर्नेहरु नेपाललाई गरीब नै बनाई राख्न चाहने हरु हुन।

१००% पुंजी लगाएर १००% काम गर्ने कम्पनीले के पाउने? कति पाउनु जायज हो? विश्वमा अरु ठाउँमा त्यो अवस्थामा के हुने गरेको छ? अरु ठाउँमा नदी भएको देशले ३०% बिजुली मुफ्तमा पाएको छ कि? भन्न सक्नुपर्यो।

यसरी २-४ महिनाको फ़रक़मा ९०० मेगावाट को दुइ दुइ वटा deal ल्याइ दिने मोदी ----- यो त हर हर मोदी नै भन्नुपर्ने मान्छे रै छ, वामदेवलाई चेतना भया। यो गतिमा अगाडि बढ्ने हो भने १०-२० वर्ष भित्र ४०,००० मेगावाट बिजुली उत्पादन भइ सक्छ।

एक खरब रुपया सानो amount होइन। त्यत्रो लगानी भित्र्याउनेलाई आदर गर्न सिक्ने हो।

Nepal to Ink India Power Deal During Modi Visit
The inking of the deal with Indian company Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. to build the 900 megawatt Arun III hydropower station ...... The $1.04 billion project is expected to begin producing electricity in 2020. More than three quarters of its output will be exported to India ....... The Arun III agreement.. comes just two months after a similar deal with another Indian company. ....... They are the two biggest private foreign investments in Nepal ...... In September, Nepal signed an agreement with Indian company GMR to build the $1.15 billion Upper Karnali Hydro power plant. ...... Under the Arun III agreement, Nepal would get 22 percent of the electricity free of charge and would able to buy more to ease power shortages. ..... China's state-backed Three Gorges International Corp. is negotiating with Nepal for construction of a power plant over the West Seti river in Nepal's west. The project would cost $1.6 billion and generate 750 megawatts of electricity

Sunday, November 23, 2014

सुशील-वामदेव: खतरनाक कि निकम्मा?

नेपाल-भारत सम्बन्धलाई नया किसिमले पुनर्स्थापित गर्ने मोदीको इच्छा हो। समानताको कुरा। आर्थिक क्रांतिको कुरा। भारतलाई विकसित देश बनाउने मोदीको सपना हो। क्षमता भएका मान्छे हुन। गर्न सक्छन। १० वर्ष मात्र समय मागेका छन। साथै नेपाललाई पनि विकसित देश बनाउन चाहन्छन्। इच्छा छ। नेपाललाई असाध्यै माया गर्ने मान्छे मोदी। पैसावालको पो पॉकेटमारी हुन्छ, कंगाल मान्छेको पनि कहीं पॉकेटमारी हुन्छ। मोदीले नेपाललाई ठग्न खोजेको भन्ने hint दिने हरुको टाउको भित्र दिमाग होइन, गोबर छ। कहाँ भारत विश्वको तेस्रो सबैभन्दा ठुलो अर्थतंत्र, कहाँ नेपाल।

सुशील-वामदेवको सरकार निकम्मा भएकोले मोदी जनकपुर नआएको

घोडालाई पानी सम्म लग्न सकिन्छ, तर जबरजस्ती पानी खुवाउन सकिँदैन। सुशील-वामदेव-केपी भनेका देशलाई पानी नखाने घोडा बनाएर राखेका मान्छे हरु हुन। जुसिल्किरा साइज का इ मान्छे हरुलाई खतरनाक भनौं भने कसरी भनौं ---- तर निकम्मा चाहिं भन्नै पर्ने हुन्छ।

घोक्रे ठयाक लगाएर नेपालको राजनीति बाट फाल्नु पर्ने मान्छे हरु।


Thursday, November 20, 2014

मोदी जनताको छोरो आम जनतालाई सम्बोधन गर्न चाहन्छ

English: Photograph taken inside the Janki Tem...
English: Photograph taken inside the Janki Temple by Abhishek Dutta (adutta.np@gmail.com). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
वामदेवले मोदीलाई मदिसे भनेको?

मोदी lower middle class पृष्ठभूमिको मान्छे, एउटा पिछडिएको जातको मान्छे। जवानीमा आफ्नो काकाको चिया पसलमा चिया बेचेको मान्छे। उ जनकपुर आएको बेला जनकपुरका आम जनता सँग सीधा सम्पर्क गर्न चाहन्छ। वाराणसी लाई भारतको संसदमा प्रतिनिधित्व गर्ने मान्छे मोदी। जनकपुरको महत्त्व मोदिकालागि के हो भन्ने कुरा वामदेव, केपी, सुशीलले किन नबुझेको। अयोध्या बाट प्रत्येक वर्ष जनती आउने शहर जनकपुर। विवाह पञ्चमी भनेकै त्यही हो। यो मोदी जनतीमा आउन लागेको हो। उपहारमा ५०० करोड़ रुपया ल्याएर जनकपुर नगरीको कायापलट गर्ने इच्छा भएको वयक्ति मोदी।
This temple, one of the biggest in Nepal, was built in 1898 (1955 in the Nepali calendar) by Queen Brisabhanu Kunwar of Tikamgarh. It is also called "Nau Lakha Mandir" after the cost of construction, said to be nine (nau) lakh. The oldest temple in Janakpur is Ram Mandir, built by the Gurkhali soldier Amar Singh Thapa.
टीकमगढ़ की रानीले नौलखा मन्दिर बनाए पछि यो नगरीले यत्रो उपहार कहिले पाएकै थिएन। जत्रो ठुलो उपहार मोदी जनकपुरलाई दिन चाहन्छन्। तर त्यो सबै माथि पानी फेर्ने काम बामदेवले गरेका छन। सीधा नर्क जान्छ त्यो मान्छे।

मोदी जनताको छोरो आम जनतालाई सम्बोधन गर्न चाहन्छ। त्यति गर्न नपाउने हो भने म आउने नै किन भनेर भन्दैछ।

यस कारण भयो भ्रमण रद्द
भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्रीले शुरुदेखि नै जनकपुरमा सम्बोधन गर्ने इच्छा जनाएका थिए । दूतावस स्रोतका अनुसार उनले जनकपुरमा नागरिक अभिनन्दनको साथै सम्बोधन कुरालाई आफ्नो प्राथमिकतामा राखेका थिए । तर, सरकारले भने मोदीलाई रामजानकी मन्दिरभित्र सिमित व्यक्तिको बीचमा नागरिक अभिनन्दन मात्र गर्ने तयारी गरेको थियो । मोदी भाषण गर्ने र साइकल बाँढ्ने कुरा आएपछि संसदीय समितिमा समेत निकै चर्को आलोचना भएको थियो । जसमा जवाफ दिँदै गृहमन्त्री बामदेव गौतमले मोदीको नागरिक अभिनन्दन मात्र हुने बताएका थिए ।