Nepal proposes cement tax

Nepal’s Ministry of Energy has proposed that the country’s Finance Ministry include an additional tax of NPR1 on every bag of cement sold on the market which would then be specifically used for rural electrification projects.

Speaking to the Himalayan Times, Hariram Koirala, Secretary, Ministry of Energy, said: "We have proposed to the Finance Ministry and are hopeful that this will be included in the coming budget."

The energy ministry earlier sent a letter to the Finance Ministry seeking support for projects to bring electrical power to rural and remote areas.

"We don't have adequate funds for rural electrification and the NEA is suffering from huge losses. We need extra source to focus on electricity development in rural areas and hopefully this idea would be materialised," added Koirala.