PM signals India’s willingness to build Rs 200-crore oil pipeline to Nepal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday offered puja at the famous 5th century Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu on the second and last day of his maiden visit to Nepal.Modi was at the temple of lord Shiva for about 45 minutes on a day which is considered pious as it was a Monday that falls in the month of ‘Shravan’. He donated 2,500 kgs of chandan (sandalwood) to the Pashupatinath Temple trust.
The Hindu temple is located on the banks of the Bagmati River in Deopatan, a village 3 km north-west of Kathmandu. It is dedicated to a manifestation of Shiva called Pashupati (lord of Animals).
It attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, mostly from India. There are a lot of Indian pujaris at the temple. There is a tradition of keeping four priests and one chief priest at the temple from among the Bramhins of South India for centuries.
Meanwhile, in a move to deepen economic ties with Nepal, India has decided to build a 81-km pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to the Himalayan nation to supply petrol, diesel and jet fuel (ATF).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi signalled India’s willingness to build the Rs 200-crore pipeline to supply fuel during his visit to Kathmandu. Nepal is dependent on India for meeting all of its fuel requirement. Petrol, diesel, domestic lPG and ATF are currently trucked from Indian Oil Corp’s depot at Raxaul in Bihar to Nepal.
With an intent of opening a “new chapter” in ties with Nepal, India on Monday announced a slew of sops for it focusing on 4Cs — cooperation, connectivity, culture and constitution — amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise to review any aspect of the 1950 Treaty that may be of concern here.