Six schools reconstructed with Indian grant inaugurated in Nepal

KATHMANDU: Six schools rebuilt in Nepal as part of India's USD 50 million grant assistance for reconstruction projects in the education sector following the 2015 earthquake were inaugurated on Wednesday in the Kavrepalanchowk district.

Anurag Srivastava, Joint Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs of India, jointly inaugurated six newly reconstructed schools along with Gokul Prasad Baskota, Member of Parliament of Nepal, Kavrepalanchowk-2 and Ganga Bahadur Tamang, Member of Parliament of Nepal, Kavrepalanchowk-1, and Dhurba Prasad Sharma, Executive Member, National Reconstruction Authority, Government of Nepal.

Speaking on the occasion, Srivastava highlighted that these six schools are excellent examples of courage and capacity of Nepali people to build back better and that India is honoured to be a promising development partner of Nepal. India, as a close friend and neighbour has stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of Nepal in its efforts towards reconstruction, he said.

The six schools have been built under reconstruction grant assistance of the Government of India at a total cost of NPR 197 million (Rs 12,33,59,394), the Indian Embassy said in a statement. The schools are part of the Government of India’s commitment to reconstruct educational institutions across eight districts affected by the earthquake under grant assistance of USD 50 million.

The eight beneficiary districts are Gorkha, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchowk, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Kavrepalanchowk, Dhading and Kathmandu. Till date, the construction of 14 schools has been completed and the construction of 56 schools is ongoing. A ground-breaking ceremony of Khopasi Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) in Panauti Municipality, Kavrepalanchowk was also held during the day.

The health post is one of the 132 health posts being reconstructed under the Government of India’s grant assistance of USD 50 million in the health sector. The PHCC is being reconstructed at a cost of NPR 75 million (INR 4,69,63,128). It will provide emergency, maternal and child healthcare and other medical services for around 15,000 people in the Kavrepalanchowk district.

India has committed a reconstruction grant-in-aid of USD 250 million for reconstruction projects in the housing, education, health and cultural heritage sectors in Nepal. The event was attended by officials from the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, representatives from the Central Level Project Implementation Unit (Education), District Level Project Implementation Unit (Kavrepalanchowk), Banepa Municipality, Panauti Municipality and other stakeholders.