A cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the visit, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayankaji Shrestha, who is also the government spokesperson. [break]
“The committee will hold discussions with UN officials on international assistance for development of Lumbini,” Shrestha told journalists.
The government on October 17 had formed a six-member committee headed by Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal with the mandate of preparing master plan for Lumbini development, seeking international assistance and providing assistance to the Lumbini Development Fund.
The committee comprises NC leader and former Minister for Culture Dr Minendra Rijal, CPN-UML leader Dr Managal Siddhi Manandhar and Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Wakil Musalman, among others.
The committee plans to make a master plan for the development of Kapilvastu, Nawalparasi and Rupandehi, according to Rijal.
The government formed the committee after initiatives taken by Dahal to bring in investment of USD 3 billion from Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APEC), a little-known Chinese NGO, for the development of greater Lumbini, drew controversy.
Though the government is yet to set the date of visit, Minister Musalman said that the officials are likely to visit New York in the second week of November.
Manandhar told Republica that the committee will meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and request for his help for the development of Lumbini.
According to Rijal, he along with Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire had requested Ban for the UN assistance for the development of Lumbini in January.
He had also extended an invitation to Ban on behalf of the government to visit Lumbini. Ban was supposed to visit Nepal in April but the visit was postponed.
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