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Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri paid a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Paudel on Sunday.

Various issues of bilateral relations were discussed in the meeting held today at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Sheetal Niwas, the Office of the President's Office said.

On the occasion, President Paudel said that Nepal and India should work together to reduce the impact of climate change.

"Since the safety of the mountains and water depends on the safety of mankind, it is necessary for both countries to work together to reduce the effects of climate change", said President Paudel's press advisor Kiran Pokharel.

President Paudel mentioned that Nepal and India have centuries-old bilateral relations and it will further be strengthened during the tenure of Secretary Misri.

President Paudel thinks that the friendship and cooperation between the two countries should be strengthened for mutual benefit and prosperity.

His press advisor Pokharel said that modernization of agriculture, infrastructure development, hydropower, trade, investment, tourism and human resource development are the priorities of Nepal.

President Paudel mentioned that Nepal has a huge potential for hydropower development, sustainable and easy energy trade.

On the occasion, Indian Foreign Secretary Misri expressed his commitment to work together on the issue of reducing the effects of climate change as it is a challenge for both countries.

He said that India is also willing to work on the priority of Nepal, such as energy, agriculture, and tourism, among the many priorities of the Nepal government. He also informed that India is willing to work in new and priority areas by completing the ongoing projects as soon as possible.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who is currently on a two-day official visit to Nepal, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar on Sunday.

During the meeting, they discussed strengthening bilateral and friendly relations between Nepal and India.

Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and high-level officials also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged the Lumbini provincial government to focus on increasing production and employment along with infrastructure development.

In a discussion held today at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar with the Lumbini Province Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya, PM Oli suggested expanding the market through agriculture industrialization, planting advanced varieties of crops on suitable soil.

"There is no immediate increase in production by spending on the construction of physical structures such as buildings and offices. We have fertile lands, water and a suitable climate. There are many bases where production and employment can be increased by hard work," Prime Minister Oli said, adding, "Organizations and workers of our political parties should also be involved in such work. Everyone should focus on solving the problems of the citizens together."

He drew attention not to export and import impure and poisoned foods/vegetables, and suggested to those concerned to make arrangements to ban the import/export of impure and contaminated foods, saying that food should be healthy to keep the people healthy.

Mentioning that the current equation and the government was warranted due to the special situation of the country, Prime Minister Oli said that this government is working with a plan to identify the common problems in the country and come up with a solution.

He said that the government is currently running on a deficit budget and asked everyone to work to end this situation. Prime Minister Oli asked to take into consideration the main issues of consensus, cooperation and results for the people without arguing about who will participate and how much while running the government.

Chief Minister Acharya had expected the support of the federal government in managing the budget and overall infrastructure development to shift the provincial capital from Rupandehi to Dang. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel and others participated in the discussion.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Secretary at the Ministry of Rural Development Maniram Golal jointly inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Kathmandu-based Nepal Bhasha Parishad.

The building was built with the support of the Government of India's post-earthquake reconstruction grant.

Foreign Secretary Misri arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day official visit to Nepal on Sunday.

Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal welcomed him at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two foreign secretaries will discuss various matters on further strengthening Nepal-India relations and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.

During his stay in Nepal, Misri is also scheduled to call on the high level dignitaries of Nepal.

Foreign Secretary's visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under its Neighborhood First policy, says India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

India and Nepal share an age-old civilizational, cultural and people-to-people connect, and bilateral cooperation between the two countries has further strengthened in recent years with continued momentum in high level exchanges and major infrastructure and connectivity projects in Nepal having been completed and new ones undertaken with Government of India’s assistance. This visit of Foreign Secretary will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties, said India in a press statement.

The Foreign Secretary of India is scheduled to leave Kathmandu on August 12.