India, Nepal exchange letters on Machine Readable Passports
By ANIThursday, March 25, 2010
KATHMANDU - Nepal Foreign Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattrai and Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood on Wednesday exchanged letters for the supply of Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) to Nepal by the Indian Government undertaking - Nasik-based Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India.
According to Kantipur, the Nepal Cabinet decided to award the contract to India last Friday.
Though Nepal has already missed the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) deadline for issuing MRPs, the government has requested for an extension.
As per an agreement, the Indian Government will provide four million MRPs within three years at the rate of four dollars per copy.
The Indian company has asked for ten weeks to deliver the first consignment of MRPs to Nepal. The Government will be able to provide the first copy of MRPs at the end of July. he President will receive the first copy of the MRP.
As per the ICAO deadline, Nepal has to implement the MRPs from April 1.
Earlier, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had directed the Nepal Foreign Ministry to revive the bidding for the MRP supply saying that imports from India would undermine national security issues. (ANI)
