February 12: The Indian government has proposed constructing the 400 Megawatt Lower Arun Hydropower Project. According to Nepal Electricity Authority, Indian Minister of State for Power Raj Kumar Singh made such proposal to Minister for Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Barshaman Pun during a meeting in New Delhi on Monday, February 11.

During the meeting, the Indian state minister said that the Lower Arun Hydropower Project can be developed adopting the same model of the 900-MW Arun III project, which is being undertaken by an Indian company, NEA said in a statement.

Minister Pun said that the government would take a decision whether or not to award the construction of Lower Arun Project to the Indian side after seeing the progress of Arun III.

"The Indian side has proposed to develop the Lower Arun Project on the same model being adopted by the Indian company currently undertaking the constructing of Arun III. We have said that we will respond after observing the progress on the construction of Arun III,” NEA quoted Minister Pun as saying.

Minister Pun arrived in the Indian capital to participate in the International Sustainable Development Conference which began on Monday.