India, Nepal discuss Ramayana circuit and other development projects during meet
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The Indian government's readout on the meet said, "Nepal also noted with appreciation COVID-19 related assistance, including the supply of medicines and medical equipment to Nepal by India."
India and Nepal on Monday held the 8th round of the Oversight Mechanism (OSM) meet through Video Conferencing. The talks were led by Indian Envoy to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra and Nepal government Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi.
During the talks, the status of implementation of the on-going projects was discussed including the Ramayana circuit.
Development of Terai roads, cross-border railways, Arun-III hydropower project, Pancheshwar multipurpose project, irrigation, power and transmission lines, construction of Nepal Police Academy, motorable bridges over Mahakali River are some of the other projects discussed during the OSM.
Both sides also discussed the reconstruction of 46,301 earthquakes affected houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts, the operationalization of Motihari-Amlekhgunj cross-border petroleum products pipeline and the Integrated Check Post at Biratnagar.
Motihari-Amlekhgunj oil pipeline is the first cross country oil pipeline in South Asia.
The Indian government's readout on the meet said, "Nepal also noted with appreciation COVID-19 related assistance, including the supply of medicines and medical equipment to Nepal by India."
The Nepali foreign ministry said, "Both sides underlined the need for the expeditious implementation of the bilateral projects" and "In that connection, they agreed to undertake necessary measures to timely address problems and obstacles in the course of implementation."
OSM was set up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Nepal visit in 2016 to oversee the implementation of bilateral projects.
This is the first formal meeting between the two sides amidst a strain in relationship. Nepal government had come up with new Nepal map showing Indian territories as its own territories irking Indian government which ruptured ties between the two countries.
Border issues was not discussed in monday meeting. This was expected, given the mandate of the mechanism is to discuss development projects.
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