KATHMANDU, OCT 21 - Nepal and India have
finally signed on the Power Trade Agreement (PTA) that was reached between the
two countries couple of months ago.
Energy Secretary
Rajendra Kishor Chhetri and Indian
Energy Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha signed on the bilateral agreement from
their respective sides amidst a programme at the Office of Prime Minister and
Council of Ministers here in the Capital on Tuesday.
Minister for
Energy Radha Gyawali, Chief Secretary Leela Mani Poudyal, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae were present on the
occasion. The preliminary signing on the initial draft of the agreement had
taken place on September 4.
Governments of
both the countries had approved the final draft of the agreement sometime ago.
Talking to media persons after the
signing of the PTA, Energy Secretary Chhetri said with the final signing of the
agreement a strong base has been created for addressing the problems of power
crisis facing the country for a long time.
Construction of trans-border transmission
line is moving ahead so as to import power from India, Energy Secretary
Chhetri said. A secretary-level special mechanism has been constituted to clear
possible difficulties in the enforcement of agreement and a joint-secretary
level taskforce has also been formed to that end, he added.
As per the
agreement, the secretary-level mechanism will meet once a year whereas the
join-secretary-level body shall meet twice a year. The agreement is aimed at
clearing the existing power crisis within the next three years.
Indian
Energy Secretary Sinha said the Indian government is ready to cooperate with Nepal for power development. The
agreement has paved the way for Nepal for
trading power with India and
other third countries. A Power Trade Agreement on Arun III Hydropower Project
will be signed soon, he added.
Source:- e-Kantipur
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