Take all parties in Nepal into confidence before polls: Indian envoy

Kathmandu: Outgoing Indian envoy to Nepal Ranjit Rae on Friday urged the government here to take all the political parties into confidence before conducting local bodies polls in May.

"As the largest democracy in the world, India supports every move and effort made for strengthening democracy in Nepal. It has been our policy continuously over the period of time," Rae, who is set to retire at the end of this month, said at a farewell function.

"And, it is my request to the government of Nepal to take all the political parties into confidence before going for the polls which is going to take place on May 14," he said.

Nepal government has decided to hold the elections for local bodies across the country in one phase on May 14.

Ambassador Rae said Nepal-India relations have always been positive and both the countries should do more for making them stronger in the economic, social, cultural and other sectors.

He stressed on promoting economic cooperation between the two countries and developing people-to-people contacts as Nepal and India were "close neighbours".

"There have been several efforts to develop people-to- people connectivity between Nepal and India," he noted.

"An agreement of Rs 34 billion has been made for constructing Mahakali bridge and 15 roads to develop people-to-people connectivity. When Mahakali bridge construction is completed, it will especially benefit people of far-western region in Nepal and Uttarakhand in India," Rae said.

"This bridge will develop connectivity and bring a positive change in the people of these areas," he said.

Rae said the next project is that of Pancheshwor Hydropower and the target is to approve a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for it by June.

"After Mahakali bridge is completed, it will be very benificial for Pancheshwor Hydropower Project," he said.

Rae also expressed confidence that the Pancheshwor project would be very beneficial to the people of the area.

"Another important issue in the relations between Nepal and India is Railway connectivity and Railway Minister of India Suresh Prabhu has recently announced that he wanted to build railways connecting Kathmandu to Kolkata and Delhi soon," the envoy said.

He said the third project was the Integrity Check Post (ICP) built on 165 acre land separately in Rakshaul and Birjung.

"These ICP projects are very impressive and have been established as world class trade and financial centres," Rae said.

He also said that another ICP was under construction in Biratnagar and two more would be built elsewhere in the near future.

Rae said India has also been taking initiative to start the Koshi High Dam Project.

"If this Koshi High Dam Project is completed it will greatly help in irrigation and flood control in Bihar, and Nepal will have direct access to sea," Rae said.