Kathmandu, November 18

Minister for Commerce and Supplies Ganesh Man Pun has said that the government is taking all alternative measures to ease the supply of fuel in the country.

Talking to media persons today at his office in Singha Durbar after his arrival from China, Minister Pun said the government was in touch with China and Bangladesh for making alternative arrangements of fuel supply.

A delegation from the ministry is leaving for the northern neighbour tomorrow to sign a bilateral trade deal so as to materialise the memorandum of understanding on the supply of petroleum products.

Pun said during his China visit he held informal discussions with high-ranking officials which created a conducive environment for a bilateral trade agreement.

“China has agreed to provide fuel to Nepal at an affordable price as per the need and government team is expected to finalise the deal.”

Besides, there is potentiality of importing quality cooking gas from the northern neighbour as one of the alternatives to cope with severe energy crisis in the country. The Chinese officials have said that there would be no problem in supplying cooking gas to Nepal from China.

The Chinese government has agreed to exempt local tax on the import of fuel from there and there would be no difference in the prices of fuel imported from China and India, the commerce minister said.

Bangladesh has been taken as an alternative source for supplying fuel to the country via India and a delegation of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has already set out for the same. Aerial route can be opted if there is any obstruction in the import of fuel via India. Nepal is committed to exercising the rights entitled to landlocked countries in the transport of goods, Minister Pun added.

He further pledged to work in cooperation with the home administration, local bodies and NOC to discourage the black marketing of daily essentials, including fuel.