India-Bhutan development talks to be held on Thursday, 50 projects to be reviewed

Thimphu: Bhutan and India will hold the third round of Development Cooperation Talks in Thimpu on Thursday for Bhutan’s 11th Five Year Plan during which Indian aid of Rs 45 billion would be discussed and 50 proposed projects would be reviewed. [caption id=“attachment_1705867” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Thimpu will hold India-Bhutan development talks on Thursday. Reuters[/caption] The Bhutanese delegation will be led by Foreign Secretary Yeshey Dorji and the Indian delegation by the Secretary of Development Partnership Administration and Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sujata Mehta. The two sides will discuss India’s assistance of Rs 45 billion to the 11th Plan, which includes Rs 8.5 billion for Programme Grant, Rs 8.5 billion for Small Development Projects and Rs 28 billion for Project Tied Assistance (PTA). They will also review 50 projects proposed to be implemented under the PTA excluding 40 projects which were approved by the 2nd Round of Plan Talks. A total of 86 projects are expected to be implemented under the PTA in the 11th Five Year Plan. The talks will also review the status of fund disbursement for the 11th Plan and discuss other related issues. Mehta will also call on Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Foreign Minister Lyonpo Rinzin Dorje. The second round of Bhutan-India Development Cooperation talks was held in New Delhi in November last year. PTI