INDIA-BHUTAN TWO LAST

Singh also assured the Bhutan King that India will not
leave any stone unturned to make next year's South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, to
be held in Bhutan, as "memorable and successful", Prakash
said.

He said the Prime Minister also wished success to the
democratic process in Bhutan and stressed on the need for
greater Parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.
Giving the details of the MoUs, he said besides an MoU
to set up a super-speciality hospital on the lines of the
AIIMS in Bhutan with the technical and expert support from
India at the cost of Rs 25 crore as grant-in-aid, one in the
field of IT at the cost of Rs 205 crore has also been signed.
This is expected to benefit nearly 2,00,000 rural
children and will make half of Bhutan's population e-literate.
In the area of civil aviation, an 'Air Services
Agreement' pertaining to expansion of international air
services and ensuring the safety and security in the services
was signed by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and
Bhutanese Minister of Economic Affairs Khandu Wangchuk.
Other MoUs signed between the two countries included
one on 'Drug Demand Reduction and Prevention of Illicit
Trafficking in Narcotic Substances and Precursor Chemicals and
Related Matters', 'Consultancy Services for Preparation of
National Transmission Grid Master Plan' and 'Technical
Assistance for the National Environment Commission Secretariat
of Bhutan'.
An MoU providing for 'Cooperation of Search and Rescue
Operations' to promptly exchange information in the field was
also signed between the two countries. They also signed a pact
in the seed quality testing field. PTI PYK
ANU


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