Wa ! Lolita

Aid for infrastructure development

India agreed on thursday to provide Rs. 32 billoin for the development of infrastructure in Nepal. Following talks in the morning with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is here on a five day official visit, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukharjee informed the media of the assistance for Nepal's development. The Indian support will be utilised for constructing four different projects in Nepal, construction of the Tarai Postal Road, a rail link, united customs check posts at border points and a police academy. The assistance provided as per the high level decision of the Indian government to help in building three big infrastructure projects will facilitate estension of trade between the two close neighbours. Of the total assistance, IC 700 crore will be used for the construction fo the first phase of the postal road, IC 700 crore for the railways, IC 300 crore for check posts and the remaining for the police academy. Construction of customs check posts at Nepal India border section of Raxaul Birgunj and Jogabani-biratnagar has yet to be carried out although it has been already decided upon. According to Raghuji Panta, PM's political advisor, in the meeting with Prime Minsiter Nepal, Indian Finance Minister Mukharjee mentioned that Nepal had a challenging job to take peace process to its logical conclusion .The Indian Minister also expressed the belief that the present government would accomplish the peace and constitution writing processes. Panta informed that an understanding was made in the meeting to form a joint mechanism to sort out problems and work out solutions between the two countries. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nepal on Thursday said that the Nepalese government had taken initiatives to move ahead by forging unity among the political parties for a peaceful, prosperous and long term development of the country. Stressing on the need of peace and stability in the country, Premier Nepal said that Indian support was essential for the development of the landlocked Nepal. Nepal made such remarks while interacting with the leaders of the Nepal India Parliamentary Committee and Parliamentarians at a programme organised here Thursday afternoon. Saying that as there was closde relation among the people of India and Nepal in the grassroots level also, Janata Dal United's chairman Sarad Yadav said that India would have some interest in the development of Nepal. He also expressed his hope on the safe and ruitful landing of the ongoing peace process of Nepal. During the programme, Indian leaders D.P. Tripathi of the Nationalist congress Party, and Rajiv Shukla of the INdian Congress Party, among others, expressed their hope that the ongoing peace process would be successfully concluded making a new constitution in the leadershikp of Primer Nepal. Earlier, PM Nepal, in an interaction with the Indian intellecturals, senior journalists and editors, said that the consensus with the UCPN Maoist was indispensable for taking the present peace proces to a logical end integrating Maoists combatants, restructuring the state into federalism. Talking about Indian assistance for peace process and economic development of the country , Prime Minister Nepal described his ongoing India visit as a success. Similarly, Indian Home Minister P Chaidambaram, in a meeting with Nepal today, expressed his concern ver the security situation and increasing criminal activities in Terai. Former Prime Minister I.K Gujral and Bahujan Samaj Party's Chairman and Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Kumari Mayawati also met with PM Nepal. During the meeting, Gujral expressed that the Indian government should provide largest possible assistance to Nepal government overlooking petty issues.(Source : TRN)