KATHMANDU: The Nepal Electricity Authority's (NEA) Executive Director, Kulman Ghising, has been formally questioned by Energy Minister Deepak Khadka over a number of organizational matters that have come under investigation. This request is being made in the midst of growing worries regarding the NEA's procurement and operational procedures.
In order to address the increased scrutiny and concerns regarding NEA's actions, Minister Khadka has outlined a total of fifteen important areas that Ghising must answer in detail.
The two regulations that Minister Khadka is most concerned about are the ones that have been amended during the last four years: the Financial Administration Regulation and the Employee Service and Conditions Regulation. He is in search of an explanation regarding the significance of these changes.
Khadka has also submitted a request for information about the decisions that the NEA Board made over that same time period, emphasizing the necessity of decision-making transparency.
Additionally, Ghising has been questioned about the specifics of the powers that the NEA Board has granted to the Executive Director during the last four years. This guarantees accountability in governance by providing precise dates and circumstances for these decisions.
The documenting of agreements and memoranda of understanding between NEA and firms in adjacent countries is a noteworthy topic that Minister Khadka brought up. His goal is to evaluate the extent and significance of these collaborations.
Khadka additionally requests information on the shareholding arrangements of NEA's subsidiaries, with particular reference to the representatives on their boards and any current NEA staff members who are associated with these subsidiaries.
For a more comprehensive evaluation, the financial statements from NEA's subsidiaries for the previous four years must be provided in order to paint a clearer picture of their overall performance and financial health.
The Minister is also curious about the status of projects in which Power Evacuation is not yet completely operational, as well as about any alternative procedures that the NEA has put in place to deal with these problems.
Inquiries concerning the ownership transfer discussions of the Himal Power Limited-managed 60 MW Khimti-1 hydropower plant are also present, and they demand careful examination.
Khadka has asked for information on accepted bids from different departments, including necessary details like contract names, quantities, payment information, and the state of any outstanding disputes related to these contracts.
Records of all overseas travel made by NEA Board members during the previous four years, together with an accounting of their costs and the sources of funding, are required to be submitted in rules of governance.
Reports on unpaid revenue from Dedicated Feeder Trunk Lines that have been submitted to the Board, along with pertinent dates of decisions reached on these issues, are requested by the Minister.
Further information is required to comprehend operating delays and efficiency for transformers acquired through tenders but not yet installed.
Khadka further stresses that in order to guarantee correct planning and execution, specifics about goods like smart meters that are being prepared for tender, such as their replacement plans, quantities, and expected costs, must be provided.
Information on unsolved audit discrepancies mentioned in the Auditor General's annual report, as well as updated costs for poles manufactured by NEA's cement pole facilities and procurement costs from bids in the previous four fiscal years, have been requested by the Minister. It is also anticipated that a detailed roster of all the heads of the NEA's Central Store for the previous four years will be provided, along with their credentials.
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