PDA with India for nation's prosperity: Energy Minister

KATHMANDU, July 23: Minister for Energy Radha Gyawali has said the country was going to sign the Nepal-India Power Development Agreement (PDA) for the prosperity of the country.

At a face-to-face program organized here today by the Sambad Club Nepal, she claimed that the agreement will be for national interest and for energy development.

The minister said there will be no national betrayal, it is for the development of the country and the ministry itself will not signed, as it will be signed only after decision by the cabinet.

Such agreements are also necessary with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China and not only with India and decision of signing agreement will be after consensus with all parties, she added.

NC leader and former Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat said the agreement will benefit both countries and there is nothing objectionable.

Energy Department chief of UCPN-Maoist Leelamani Pokhrel accused that India was signing the agreement to seize Nepal’s waters.

The agreement will affect in long term, and it should not be signed, he said.CPN- Maoist Politburo Member and Energy Department Chief Dharmendra Banstola also said the agreement was harmful to Nepal and should not be signed.


Former State Minister for Water Resources and RPP Spokesperson Thakur Prasad Sharma, and leftist intellectual Sonamsingh Sherpa said Nepal should not sign the agreement that only benefits India.

Source: Republica