Our correspondent / NEW DELHI
Newly-elected Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prachanda, arrived in New Delhi today on a four-day visit to India.
Mr Prachanda will be accorded ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow morning. The visiting dignitary will visit Nathpa Jhakri Hydropower Project in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.
is arriving in New Delhi today on a four-day visit to India. During the visit, he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and call on President Pranab Mukherjee.
This is Mr Prachanda’s first bilateral visit abroad after assuming office last month. The visit will provide an opportunity for both the sides to discuss issues of mutual interest and seek ways to strengthen the age-old friendly ties.
Neplese PM is accompanied by his spouse Sita Dahal, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak and MPs Narayan Chaudhary, Lal Babu Rawat, Yogendra Chaudhary, Tek Bahadur Basnet and Jangi Lal Raya.
The 50 government representatives in the PM’s entourage include 26 members of his core team, six advisors, three members of the security team, seven media persons and eight officials from the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The core team comprises representatives of various political parties, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Transport, Dhan Bahadur Tamang, Energy Secretary Anup Kumar Upadhyay, Supplies Secretary Ngaindra Prasad Upadhyay, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Shankar Prasad Adhikari and Irrigation Secretary, Gajendra Kumar Thakur.
PM’s chief advisor Chakrapani Khanal, foreign affairs advisor Dr Rishiraj Adhikari, personal secretaries—Prakash Dahal and Ramesh Malla, press advisor Govinda Acharya and personal physician Dr Yubraj Sharma are part of the delegation.
Similarly, Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Investment Board, Maha Prasad Adhikari, Joint-Secretary at the Water and Energy Commission, Madhav Belbase and Chief at the International Economic Cooperation Division under the Finance Ministry, Baikuntha Aryal, are joining the Nepali delegation.
The Nepali delegation also includes Chief of the South Asian Division of the Foreign Ministry, Bhrigu Dhungana, Chief of Protocol Deepak Adhikari, Joint-Secretary at the South Asian Division, Hari Prasad Odari, Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, Prakash Adhikari, press advisor of the Foreign Minister, Yekraj Pathak, and Protocol Officer Prathama Upreti.
Likewise, 41 others including representatives of Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Nepali Industries, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Nepali Cottage and Small Industries and other businessmen are in the team. More than 34 journalists representing the private sectors are are joining the PM’s delegation to India.
During the visit, PM Dahal shall hold an interaction with Nepali community immediately after he reaches India on Thursday. The interaction to be organized by Nepali Embassy will be attended by Nepali industrialists, industrialists and entrepreneurs, students, political activists and media person.
On September 16, the PM is scheduled to attend the guard of honour ceremony to be organized at the Rastrapati Bhawan, and also lay a wreath at cemetery of Mahatma Gandhi, reaching Rajghat the same day.
On the same day, he will pay a courtesy call on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. After the courtesy call, he will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers and other officials.
Likewise, Prime Minister Dahal is scheduled to visit the under-construction Nathpa Jhakri Hydropower project in Himanchal state, and also observe the Patanjali Yogpeeth and related industries in Haridwar.
The Prime Minister will be holding an interaction with Nepali industrialists and businessmen based in New Delhi.