“During our meeting with the speaker, we brought up the issue of border security and border management for the welfare of the people of both the countries,” a delegation member said.[break]
A 15-member delegation consisting women members of the Constituent Assembly arrived in New Delhi Sunday for a seven-day visit on the official invitation of the government of India. The Indian side has said that the purpose of the visit is to “share experience” and to learn about the women rights situation in Nepal.
The leader of the delegation, Suprabha Ghimire of Nepali Congress, said, “This is a good opportunity to share experience and express our concerns before our friends in India.” Usha Kala Rai, CA member from CPN-UML, said, “While we have much to learn from India´s development efforts, India too can learn from us.” She was referring to the 33 percent reservation for women in Nepal. Indian parliament has only 10 percent women representation at present.
On Tuesday, the delegation held talks with India´s newly-appointed foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai. During the discussions, the Nepali side discussed security management and unequal treatment meted out to Nepalis in duty-free access at India´s international airports among other issues.
“The foreign secretary has agreed to review the security management apparatus and tackle the issue of duty-free access,” Sapana Pradhan Malla of UML told Republica after the meeting. She added, “The secretary said that India is willing to explore all areas of cooperation especially at people-to-people level.”
She also informed that the Indian side was “concerned” over the fake Indian currency racket in Nepal. The delegation also held discussion with private sector representatives of India during which Indian investments in hydro projects in Nepal was brought up.
The delegation members said Indian companies are keen to see political stability and an investment-friendly environment in Nepal. The representatives of GMR, the Indian company that is building Upper Karnali Hydropower Project in Nepal, expressed serious concerns over the obstructions at project site in Nepal. “The investors pressed the need for economic stability even when Nepal is going through a transition period,” a delegation member told Republica adding, “The GMR is concerned about the Maoist obstructions at the project site."
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