Minister for Works and Physical Planning Hisila Yami has been encouraged by initial talks with the visiting delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Kathmandu.

The delegation dispatched by ADB headquarters to revive the multi-million-dollar Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) held talks with government officials on Thursday.

Following the meeting, Minister Yami told reporters that the ADB was very flexible to proceed with the MWSP.

She added that the government positively considered some demands for reforms put forth by the ADB delegation.

The delegation is led by Sultan Hafeez Rahman, deputy director general of ADB’s South Asian Affairs.

The ADB headquarters had dispatched the delegation following request made by the government of Nepal to proceed with the MWSP. Earlier, after Yami refused to honour the previous government’s agreement to allow UK’s Severn Trent to handle the management of valley’s water distribution system, the ADB had warned it might not renew the funding commitment for the project. However, later it agreed to hold further talks with the government. ADB is the principal donor for the project.