Neighbouring India conveyed Wednesday to Bangladesh that there was 'progress' over the two major pending issues -- Teesta water sharing deal and Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), reports UNB.
These 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.
Meanwhile, clarifying India's grant to Bangladesh in the new budget, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said the Indian government attached 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 60 million in 2010-11, INR 30 million in 2011-12, INR 300 million in 2012-13, INR 5.80 billion in 2013-14 and INR 3.50 billion in 2014-15.
The provision made in the last FY 2013-14 was to cater for disbursement of US$ 100 million in grants as part of Indian government's 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 the FY 2012-13 and US$ 100 million in the FY 2013-14, totaling US$ 150 million.
The budgetary provision therefore made for Bangladesh in the last FY (2013-14) represented the fulfillment of a specific commitment made to Bangladesh.
Earlier, the Times of India reported that India had slashed significantly its aid in the form of grants and loans for Bangladesh in the new fiscal year which was almost 40 per cent lower than that of the previous fiscal year.
