Prime Minister KP Shama Oli has said his India visit would be focused mainly on implementing the past agreements signed between Nepal and India.  He expressed his commitment not to sign any agreements against the national interest and that will let down the country.

While addressing the Parliament to inform about his upcoming India visit slated to begin on Friday, Oli said during his visit he will hold intense discussion with Indian government on implementing the past agreements rather than signing new agreements.

“We want to maintain trustful and doubtless relations with India,” said PM Oli, “We want to maintain a dignified relation with Indian while desisting from anything that would be disgraceful to the nation.”

Saying that Nepal would move ahead on the path of development, PM Oli said he will try to make his maiden foreign visit fruitful.

He said he would take up the issues of agriculture, water route and rail way with the Indian government.

“We have heard India has tightened the clearance of fuel tankers in the border point while adopting some flexibility on goods carrier trucks, and many Nepalis are also facing problems due to India’s demonetization policy. I will discuss the issues with Indian PM,” said PM Oli.

Similarly, PM Oli, who is also the Chairman of ruling CPN-UML, stressed on the need to hold SAARC summit at any cost.

The summit had to be halted after some of the member states showed reluctance to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad, Pakistan. The summit was postponed allegedly due to the conflict between India and Pakistan. PM Oli said that he will try to convince India to participate in the summit.

He further said Nepal, being the chair of SAARC, should make the regional body more effective and result-oriented. PM Oli said that SAARC should not be kept at risk. The institution like SAARC helps to reduce the tension, he noted.

Oli said that he would discuss the issues of tourism, education and health sectors with the Indian government.

Saying that he would not talk about the issues of Nepal only during the upcoming visit, he said that he would also discuss the genuine issues of the southern neighbor.

Prime Minister further said that he would discuss the issues of cross-border security and terrorism with the Indian government.

The executive head went on to say that he would hold a discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the delegation level and personally and will also pay a courtesy call to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind.

PM Oli said that he would hold an interaction with the business community in Delhi as well.

Saying that Nepal has faced a cumulative business lost in the past few years, PM Oli said that he would discuss increasing production and boosting exports and investment.

“Recently I have laid a foundation stone for the construction of a garment factory in Simara,” he said, adding, “I will hold discussions with the Indian government to investment in various sectors of Nepal.”

“I believe that my visit will further strengthen bilateral relationship between Nepal and India,” he said.

While responding to the queries of lawmakers, PM Oli said that the country ushered into federalism as per the aspirations of the people. Now, there are institutions of people’s representatives in all the seven provinces where people can get the service easily, he said.

“We used to have conflict in the nation. The problem was resolved through peace process,” said PM Oli. “I want to say that Nepal is no more a war-torn country. Peace has already been established here,” he added.

Furthermore, Prime Minister said that some irresponsible and criminal groups are trying to foil the peace in the name of development. They are trying to spread terrorism in the country by involving in abduction, smuggling, and human trafficking. He said such activities are against the time’s demand and expressed his commitment to control them.

White paper is a reality paper

Moreover, PM Oli said that the white paper recently presented by Finance Minister Yuvaraj Khatiwada in the Parliament on March 30 is a reality paper.

“Fake statistics were not presented in the paper. The paper has depicted the economic position of the nation,” he said.

He, however, said that there no need to be disheartened by the white paper because the country can tap its rich natural resources for the development.

“Being rich in water resources and herbs, among other things, we can’t be poor,” he said, adding, “I hope that the white paper to be presented in the future won’t have to include all these problems.”

Highlighting that many young and capable persons are abroad for employment, the Prime Minister underscored the need of creating job opportunity to bring back the young population to develop the nation.

People are hopeful that the nation will be developed soon.

“Nepal witnessed democracy by toppling the autocratic system with the help of people. Now, they want development,” he said.

There is no alternative to incumbent government, people are optimistic about this government, PM Oli said.

This government is committed to put an end to the corruption and move ahead with new policy and programmes to take the country on the path of prosperity, he said.

Gov to put a roof over the heads of earthquake victims

PM Oli said that the government is committed to provide roof to all the earthquake survivors including elderly people, children and pregnant people. 

“People should be saved as their lives are precious,” he said.