Poudel, Jaitley discuss use of earthquake aid

Nepal to focus on implementing past agreements

KATHMANDU, Feb 8: Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, who is on a three-day visit to India, has been meeting ministers and other top officials in New Delhi since he arrived in the Indian capital on Sunday.

He held a meeting with his Indian counterpart Arun Jaitley on Monday and discussed various aspects of implementing bilateral agreements.
Officials said the major focus of the discussion between the two finance ministers was on using the aid earlier pledged by India on reconstruction of the structures destroyed by earthquakes last year.

“The detailed agreements about the number and specifics of the structures to be built with support from Indian aid will be signed during the visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli,” Nepali ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhayay told Republica.
Poudel visited the southern neighbor with the objective to lay the ground for the prime minister’s visit to India.
The two sides have been working to finalize the date and detailed programs of Oli’s India visit. Officials said diplomatic channels in both the sides have been working on a five-day tentative schedule starting from February 19. The number of days of his stay and programs may change based on mutual understanding.
The date and detailed programs will be formally announced once it is confirmed from both the sides, said the officials.
Minister Poudel said his talks with the Indian side have been very positive also due to new turn of events taking place in Nepal.
“As we were in the midway of bilateral talks, we received information that the agitating Madhesi leaders decided to end protests at border check points. That information created more favorable environment,” Poudel told Republica over phone.
The minister held separate meetings with Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, among other officials, on Sunday. He is scheduled to return home on Tuesday.
Knowledgeable sources said that apart from making maximum use of Indian support in reconstruction, the Nepali side is for pushing for the implementation of previous bilateral agreements signed during previous prime ministerial visits to Delhi.
Several important announcements were made during visits of Nepal’s prime ministers in the past.
“So, this time Nepali side is going to focus on implementing those agreements instead of making additional announcements,” said a source privy to the development.