Rajnath, Nepal Dy PM to visit Indo-Nepal border areas

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Nepal Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi will soon visit the Indo-Nepal border areas, which had seen agitation by Madhesis over Nepal's new Constitution.
This was agreed at a meeting attended by Singh and Nidhi, who is here on a four-day visit as Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda's special envoy, official sources said today.
Nidhi also assured Singh to take adequate steps to ensure security at Tribhuwan Airport in Kathmandu, from where terrorists boarded an Indian Airlines aircraft and hijacked it to Kandahar in 1999.
The Nepal Deputy Prime Minister conveyed that India is a very important neighbour for his country and development in Nepal cannot be achieved without the support of India.

Nidhi has conveyed to Singh that his visit is primarily to "clear all misunderstandings" that cropped in the recent past between the two countries, sources said.
The Nepal government has taken various concrete measures including evolving consensus on constitutional amendments and certain measures where government or Cabinet can take up in setting up of a Judicial Commission for giving suitable compensation to the affected people.

Both the Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, who is also the Home Minister of that country, agreed to make a joint visit to Indo-Nepal border area and to interact with people living in the area, sources said.

The Nepal blockade, which began on September 23, 2015, led to an economic and humanitarian crisis and had severely affected Nepal and its economy.
The agitation by Madhesis, inhabitants of the southern plains who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians, over Nepal's new Constitution, was at its peak at that time.
Singh said that political stability in Nepal is in the
interest of both the countries and he appreciated the present regime for taking all concerned groups along in resolving issues in the context of constitution amendments.
The Nepal Deputy Prime Minister assured to expedite the progress of construction of Police Academy at Punauti and Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) on Nepal side.

Issues of land acquisition and forest clearance, if any, will be resolved to accelerate the progress, he said.
Nidhi also visited the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) office where he was briefed about the disaster management strategies.
Nepal is on its way to reconstruct itself after the massive earthquake that shook the country last year.
During his visit to the NDMA, the importance of institutional mechanisms for Disaster Management set up in India was highlighted.
Both sides discussed cooperation in the field of Disaster Management and Singh assured the visiting dignitary of sharing India's expertise with Nepal in the field of Disaster Management.

Nidhi arrived here yesterday as the special envoy of the Nepal Prime Minister on a four-day visit.