Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk made a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Rajendra Lingden on Wednesday. 

During the meeting held at Minister Lingden’s office, various issues of bilateral relations and mutual interests were discussed. 

According to Lingden’s secretariat, the two discussed various aspects of the State of the Kamala River Basin Plan, which is jointly supported by the government of Nepal and the government of Australia to further scientific cooperation around water resources management. 

Ambassador Volk claimed that the hydropower project in the Kamala River Basin would be exemplary and the partnership between the two nations would be a noteworthy achievement in the field of hydroelectric energy. Noting the six-decade-long diplomatic relations between Nepal and Australia, Minister Lingden claimed that the hydropower project would be of great help to the agricultural and economic state of the inhabitants in the region. 

In 2017, an agreement was reached between the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation to partner and cooperate in water resource management. 

As per the agreement, the Ministry and the Australian organisation have concluded the study and planning at the Kamala River Basin and have taken the project into execution. The Kamala River State of the Basin Plan is in the process of being implemented in order to use the water of the Kamala River in a systematic manner and to stop over-exploitation. 

Minister Lingden, acknowledged Volk’s contribution in enhancing the bilateral relation between the two nations, and conveyed his gratitude towards the Oceanian nation for their assistance in the economic and social development of Nepal. 

Talking about the 50,000 plus Nepali students studying in Australia, Lingden appealed to the Australian government to play a positive role in addressing the problems faced by Nepali students there.