Kathmandu, Aug 11 (IANS) The Embassy of India in Nepal and several Nepali government agencies on Tuesday signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to implement eight projects in the education, health and agriculture sectors with Indian grant assistance, the Indian Embassy said.
The eight projects, with a combined estimated cost of NPR 803 million, will be implemented through local authorities and institutions of the Government of Nepal. The projects, selected under India’s High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs), will be implemented in various parts of the country, according to the Embassy.
The MoUs were signed between the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Nepal’s Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration, and the project implementing agencies of the Nepali government.
The projects include the digitalisation of B P Koirala Institute of Health and Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan, Sunsari District; construction of a Krishi Utpadan Sankalan Tatha Bikri Kendra in Temkemaiyung Rural Municipality, Bhojpur District; and construction of a Municipal Agricultural and Livestock Center Building in Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality, Dhading District.
Similarly, the projects include construction of the building of Belbari Multiple Campus in Belbari Municipality, Morang District; a 10-bed hospital in Dungeshwor Rural Municipality, Dailekh District; an Agriculture Promotion Centre in Sarkegad Rural Municipality, Humla District; a cold store in Kaligandaki Rural Municipality, Syangja District; and a 15-bed hospital building in Barju Rural Municipality, Sunsari District.
According to the Embassy of India, the projects are aimed at supporting development in priority sectors, including health, education and agriculture.
Since 2003, the Government of India has undertaken 605 HICDPs across Nepal, including the eight projects covered by the latest MoUs, the Embassy said.
Of the total projects, 512 have been completed in areas including health, education, agriculture, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation and the creation of public utilities, while the remaining projects are at various stages of implementation.
The Embassy said the implementation of HICDPs reflects India's continued support for Nepal's development efforts and infrastructure enhancement in priority sectors.
India and Nepal, as close neighbours, are engaged in wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation, the Embassy said, adding that HICDPs are part of the ongoing development cooperation between the two countries.
"For over seven decades, India and Nepal have been partners in efforts towards shared progress and prosperity. A key pillar of this partnership is the High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) programme, which supports development at the grassroots level across Nepal. These projects are identified and proposed primarily by Nepal’s local governments, and are thus driven by local priorities and community needs," the Embassy of India in Kathmandu posted on X Tuesday evening.
HICDPs have benefited communities across Nepal, reflecting a broad geographic reach and across provinces like Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim. An additional 107 projects span multiple districts, further extending their impact across provincial boundaries.
"Beyond infrastructure development, India has also supported health and education institutions across Nepal through the gifting of 1,049 ambulances and 381 school buses. These ambulances cover all 77 districts of Nepal, while the school buses support educational institutions in 65 districts, including remote and underserved areas," the Embassy mentioned.
--IANS
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