Neighbouring India on Wednesday conveyed Bangladesh about the progress over the two major pending issues --Teesta water sharing deal and Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), reports UNB. The issues along with other bilateral issues between the two countries would be discussed in details in the third Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) to be held soon in New Delhi. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran conveyed the progress on internal consensus building on the two issues during a meeting with Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at the Foreign Ministry, said a meeting source. "Things are moving in the positive direction," the source said adding that the issues would be discussed in the JCC. Bangladesh and India are in discussions to fix the date for holding the third JCC in New Delhi to review the status of the relations between the two countries and take that to a new height. Bangladesh has proposed two dates-in August and September-and the meeting will be held at a mutually convenient time.
Meanwhile, after a meeting with Foreign Secretary, Pankaj Saran said, "I met him just to discuss the status of our relationships following the visit of our Minister (Sushma Swaraj)." Asked whether the date of JCC is fixed, Pankaj Saran said they are in the process of discussion. "Were exactly discussing the date�the date is not fixed yet." The Indian diplomat said both the ministers are agreed on holding the next JCC. Responding to another question, he said, "Im sure within the next few months, youll see various steps taken." The second JCC was held in Dhaka on February 16, 2013 and two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction at the significant forward movement in implementation of the decisions taken by the two sides, including during the first JCC meeting. The Bangladesh delegation was led by the then Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, while the Indian delegation was led by former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. Pankaj said holding the Joint River Commission is also in the pipeline. Earlier, he held nearly an hour-long meeting with the Foreign Secretary from 3pm. Clarifying Indias grant to Bangladesh in the new budget, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Wednesday said the Indian government attaches the highest importance to its relations with Bangladesh. In response to a question about the provision for grant to Bangladesh contained in the Expenditure Budget Volume I for FY 2014-2015, the spokesperson of the Indian High Commission stated that the budgetary allocations made for Bangladesh in recent years were INR 6 crore in 2010-11, INR 3 crore in 2011-12, INR 30 crore in 2012-13, INR 580 crore in 2013-14 and INR 350 crore in 2014-15. The provision made last year, FY 2013-14, was to cater for the disbursement of US$ 100 million grants as part of Indian governments decision to convert US$ 200 million out of the US$ 1 billion Credit Line into grant. Out of the US$ 200 million grant announced in 2012, US$ 50 million was disbursed in FY 2012-13 and US$ 100 million in FY 2013-14, totalling US$ 150 million. The budgetary provision therefore made for Bangladesh in the last FY (2013-14) represents the fulfillment of a specific commitment made to Bangladesh. The government of India attaches the highest importance to its relations with Bangladesh, as evidenced in the first stand-alone visit abroad by the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh in June this year. Earlier, the Times of India reported that India has slashed significantly its aid in the form of grants and loans for Bangladesh in the new fiscal year which is almost 40 percent lower than the previous fiscal year.
