Kathmandu, March 3: Minister for Water Supply Pradeep Yadav and Minister of Jal Shakti of India, CR Patil, today signed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to the development of Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Minister Yadav and Minister Patil signed the important MoU related to the development of WASH on behalf of the Government of Nepal and the Government of India, respectively, at a special programme organized in New Delhi, said Director General of the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management Er Ram Kumar Shrestha. “The governments of Nepal and India have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in the areas of drinking water, sanitation and waste management. The MoU aims to develop drinking water sources, access to clean water, promote sanitation, waste management and strengthen the efforts of the Government of Nepal to that end,” Shrestha added.

The aim is to promote friendly cooperation between both India and Nepal and strengthen inter-governmental cooperation in the sanitation sector, acknowledge the efforts and concerns of the Government of Nepal on water security, ensure access to safe drinking water in Nepal and enable people’s livelihood in a safe environment. The MoU states that technology and training support will be provided to the Government of Nepal in underground water management, technology and information exchange, rainwater harvesting and measurement and technology partnership. Nepal’s Ambassador to India Shankar Prasad Sharma, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, Secretaries at the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India Ashok Meena and Devshree Mukharjee, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Nepal Dr Surendra Thapa, Secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply Er Pramila Devi Shakya Bajracharya, Joint Secretary Er Meena Shrestha, Director General of the Department of Water Supply and Sewage Management Er Ram Kumar Shrestha, among others, were present on the occasion. Minister Yadav is scheduled to return home on Tuesday.