Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal met Indian Union Minister for Finance Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday morning and was assured of 'all kinds of necessary financial assistance' from India, including a massive Rs 32 billion aid package for the economic development of Nepal. During the meeting, Minister Mukherjee assured PM Nepal that India will continue to provide financial assistance to Nepal and pledged the new aid package for Nepal to enhance its flagging economy. Although the Indian side didn't disclose any concrete projects for which the aid was specifically meant for, but going by past Indian assurances, the aids may go into building more highways, postal roads, railway link, creation of special economic zones, establishing police booths, among others. India currently provides an annual grant aid of somewhere around Rs 16 billion to Nepal, which is directly distributed to various schools, hospitals, road construction and other development projects under the discretion of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. Increasing trade between the two countries, Indian investments in Nepal including other economic issues also featured highly during the meeting, PM Nepal's press advisor told a local FM radio station. PM Nepal also held talks with Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram on border security and encroachment. On the occasion, Indian Home Minister Chidambaram said India is committed to make security tight in the border areas and control criminal activities there.The two leaders also agreed on the need for more cooperation between the security forces of the two countries to jointly tackle the rise in criminal activities along the Nepal-India border in a strong manner. PM Nepal is later scheduled to meet with other Indian ministers, leaders, top government officials and dignitaries including former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral. Earlier in an interaction with senior journalists and intellectuals at Hotel Oberoi in New Delhi., PM Nepal said that his government has been entrusted with the responsibility of drafting the new constitution within the stipulated time and taking the peace process to a logical conclusion and that it will fulfill it as per the aspiration of the Nepalese people. PM Nepal said that he will also ensure that the Maoist will join the government and accept the responsibility of being the largest party in the Constituent Assembly.The prime minister also said that Nepal will never tolerate any anti-Indian activities from Nepali soil and has taken every measures to ensure that Indian interests in Nepal are protected. PM Nepal, who is in New Delhi for a five-day official visit of India, met his Indian counterpart Man Mohan Singh on Wednesday.
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