Agriculture Minister Chouhan to attend BIMSTEC ministerial meeting at Kathmandu tomorrow

New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan will participate in the 3rd BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) agriculture ministerial meeting at Kathmandu in Nepal on Wednesday, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

The one-day event will be attended by the Agriculture Ministers and senior agriculture officials of the BIMSTEC countries, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. The discussions are expected to provide an opportunity for greater regional cooperation in the field of agricultural development.

The Indian minister will also call on Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli during his visit to Kathmandu.

Chouhan will hold a separate meeting with Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari, during which a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed. between the two governments on cooperation in the field of agriculture.

In addition, Chouhan will hold a bilateral meeting with Bhutan’s Agriculture and Livestock Minister Younten Phuntsho. The minister will also call on BIMSTEC Secretary General Indramani Pandey to discuss possible areas of cooperation between India and the BIMSTEC platform in the field of agriculture.

India is working for stronger economic ties between BIMSTEC nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, at a meeting held in Bangkok, proposed linking India’s UPI with the payment systems of the BIMSTEC member nations in an initiative to strengthen trade, industry and tourism in the group.

Addressing the sixth summit of the 7-nation group, the Prime Minister also proposed to set up a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and explore promoting trade in local currencies within the region.

The BIMSTEC Summit adopted the Bangkok Vision 2030 to realise the shared commitment to prosperity, security, and inclusivity in the Bay of Bengal region.

PM Modi also stressed the need to continuously expand the scope and capabilities of the BIMSTEC grouping, welcoming the institutionalising of the Home Ministers Mechanism and offered to host its first meeting in India.

–IANS

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