Govt pledges $250 million for rebuilding quake-hit Nepal
new delhi — India has pledged $250 million for post-earthquake reconstruction in Nepal as the two countries try to remove irritants in their ties following protests in Nepal over the country’s new constitution.
The assistance covering housing, health, education and cultural heritage sectors in earthquake-hit districts is part of an accord signed on Saturday during Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s visit to India.
Both the countries signed nine agreements following delegationlevel talks led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K.P. Sharma Oli.
“India and Nepal exchange nine agreements for partnership and progress,” external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.
These include agreements on utilisation of Indian grant of $250 million for post-earthquake reconstruction, improving of road infrastructure in Nepal’s Terai area, cultural cooperation, transit between Nepal and Bagladesh through Kakarbitta-Banglabandh corridor, operationalisation of Vishakapatnam port and rail transport to and from Vishakapatnam.
Later at a joint Press conference with his Nepalese counterpart K.P. Sharma Oli, PM Modi said that Nepal’s stability is linked to India’s security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It is clear that the stability of Nepal is linked to India’s security. Prime Minister Oli and I agree that we need to face together the rising extremism and terrorism in the two countries,” Modi said.
“We will not allow terrorists and criminals misuse the open borders between the two countries. Security agencies of both countries will collaborate closely in this context,” the Indian prime minister said in his statement.
He also said that peace and stability in Nepal is in “mutual benefit” of the two countries.
“I and whole India is in favour of economic development of Nepal .... I am confident under your able leadership, India-Nepal relations will further strengthen and attain new heights,” Modi told Oli.
Modi also mentioned that the two countries have decided to open two more transit points along the border which he said will increase
It is clear that the stability of Nepal is linked to India’s security. PM Oli and I agree that we need to face together the rising terrorism in the two countries”
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
connectivity and push regional development. Modi and Oli together tele-inaugurated a power transmission line between Muzaffarpur in Bihar and Dhalkebar in Nepal. “We are working on hydro projects with combined capacity of 7,000 mw and their quick and successful completion can be a gateway to Nepal’s economic prosperity,” Modi said.
Oli, who arrived here on Friday, is the first Nepalese prime minister to pay a bilateral visit to India since 2011 when Baburam Bhattarai had travelled to New Delhi. The visit of Oli, who arrived here on Friday, is the first bilateral visit by a prime minister from the Himalayan nation since 2011 when Baburam Bhattarai visited India.
In 2014, then prime minister Sushil Koirala visited India for the swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government. In August 2014, Modi paid a bilateral visit to Nepal, the first by an Indian prime minister in 17 years. —