An inter-provincial coordination meeting between the chief ministers of Lumbini and Gandaki provinces concluded on Wednesday at Ranimal, a major tourist site in Palpa. Lumbini’s Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya and Gandaki’s Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, alongside provincial ministers, secretaries, and principal secretaries, participated in the meeting, which resulted in a 21-point joint commitment aimed at the strategic development of both provinces.

The meeting, held 13 kilometres from Palpa’s district headquarters, Tansen, focused on strengthening cooperation between the two provinces, with a particular emphasis on tourism and infrastructure. The two provincial leaders signed a joint declaration focused on the promotion and conservation of Palpa's historical Ranimahal, and the development of related tourist infrastructure, including the creation of a water reservoir at the site.

Ranimahal, or a queen’s palace, built on the bank of Kaligandaki River, is often referred as Nepal’s Taj Mahal.

Chief ministers announced their commitment to increase the flow and volume of water in the area surrounding Ranimahal from the Mirmi-based Kaligandaki hydropower project. However, this has to be recommended to the relevant ministries through the federal government.

The meeting also focused on improving the connectivity between the two provinces. Plans were outlined for expanding and regularising air services from Nepalgunj and Bhairahawa to Jomsom, and both provinces agreed to push forward on regional infrastructure projects, including road network expansions, with particular attention given to major tourist routes, such as the Lumbini-Pokhara-Muktinath corridor.

They also expressed a commitment to developing the Kaligandaki Corridor into an economic corridor to link the mountainous regions to markets in the plains.

The meeting stressed the importance of unified tourism development, with plans to create integrated programmes across both provinces to promote key destinations such as Gorkha, Syangja, and the Manaslu region in Gandaki, as well as the Buddha Circuit in Lumbini. The regions will be developed for religious, adventure, and health tourism, with a focus on improving the tourism infrastructure in both provinces.

Public transportation, road safety, and large-scale multi-purpose water projects were also on the agenda, with both provinces agreeing to ensure uniformity in pricing, services, and safety measures.