By IANS,
Kathmandu: India has agreed to provide an additional 30 MW of electricity to Nepal, which is currently reeling under an acute power shortage.
India gave its nod to supplying additional power when External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna called on Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Friday, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Rajan Bhattarai said here Saturday.
Nepal has also requested for another 30 MW of electricity to deal with the power deficit, Bhattarai said.
Nepal imports 20 MW of electricity from India from the Tanakpur barrage situated on the India-Nepal border.
During the discussions Friday, Nepali Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujatha Koirala had assured India that its territory will not be used for anti-India activities and agreed to address New Delhi’s concerns over fake currency being smuggled through the Nepali territory.
The two foreign ministers discussed an entire range of bilateral issues, including India’s development assistance, border security and ways to combat crimes, including the smuggling of fake currency, an issue of pressing concern for New Delhi.
Krishna, who is currently on a three-day visit to Nepal, conveyed India’s willingness to review the 1950 Nepal-India Friendship Treaty and offered New Delhi’s help to spur Nepal’s peace process and constitution writing.