Two India funded projects inaugurated

Sh Karun Bansal, Head of Administration Wing of the Embassy of India to Nepal inaugurated two projects built with Government of India grant assistance of total cost of NR 89.2 million. The newly upgraded Fateh Bal Eye Hospital in Nepalgunj was jointly inaugurated on 4th April along with Chairman of the Hospital and the newly built Rapti Cold Storage Building in Lamahi Bazar of Lamahi were jointly by Mayor and other dignitaries of the local Municipality on 5th April 2021.

2. Both projects have been completed under ‘Nepal-Bharat Development Cooperation’ programme as High Impact Community Development Projects. The new Hospital has general ward, private ward, operation theatre, training hall, doctors quarters, inside road and drainage systems and was built at a cost of NR 46.64 million Indian grant assistance. The new 3200 MT capacity cold storage facility constructed at a total cost of NR 9.66 cr through joint funding by Government of India (NR 42.54 million) and rest by Government of Nepal and Former’s User Group.

3. Government of India has so far provided grant assistance of INR 20.99 crores to Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS), which manages the Fateh Bal eye hospital, for conducting 400 Diagnostic Screening & Treatment (DST) camps and surgery camp for Cataract in 52 districts and for TT in 14 Districts and for holding eye camps in schools in remote areas of Nepal. GoI has gifted total five vehicles to NNJS, including a mobile eye care van for holding eye camps in schools to screen treat eye ailments in children.

4. The Rapti cold storage building is equipped to preserve vegetable, fruits and perishable agriculture produce. The fully operational new cold storage facility is envisaged to help farmers of the area to prolong commercial value of their agri-produce and is expected to assist in raising incomes of small and medium farmers of the area.

5. Both projects were taken up as High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) by Government of India with the concurrence of Government of Nepal. Any proposal for creation of infrastructure in the priority sectors of Government of Nepal such as education, health, drinking water, agriculture, sanitation and public utilities, connectivity such as bridges, capacity building and vocational training, health camps in rural/remote areas, etc. and having a cost estimate of less than NRs 5 cr are considered as HICDPs. These are taken up under Nepal-Bharat Development Partnership programme and are implemented to support and provide immediate benefits to people of the project area, through local governments. 

6. Health sector is an important area of focus for Governments of India and Nepal. Under reconstruction grant assistance (US $ 50 million) of Government of India to Nepal, total 147 Health Posts are being built across ten districts of Nepal affected by 2015 earthquake. Out of 147, contract for 25 health post have been awarded. India has also gifted 823 ambulances to various government and Not for Profit organizations working in the health sector in Nepal.

7. Agriculture is also a priority sector in which both India and Nepal governments are jointly working to create required infrastructure in Nepal. In addition to the above project, Deputy Chief of Indian Embassy, on 10th March 2021, inaugurated the new building of the Lalitpur District Cooperative Union built at a cost of NRs 35 million under ‘Nepal-Bharat Development Cooperation’. The Cooperative Promotion Centre is working to enhance the marketing capability by establishing direct linkage between farmers and consumers. The building is also structured to serve as an Information Centre for marketing agricultural products. Further, to support holistic development solutions, in the last two years, India has also trained 59 agriculture scientists, farmers and agriculture policy makers in the areas of organic farming, soil testing and fertilizer science in premier Indian agriculture centers in National Capital Region of Delhi.

8. Though these projects, the Embassy of India has been complementing the efforts of Government of Nepal in augmenting infrastructure in priority sectors. India has already completed 446 HICDPs in Nepal, of which 41 are in Province 5, including 6 in Dang District. Government of India funded projects are under various stages of completion/implementation in the province. Government of India has also funded NR 698 million for construction of 33.5 km road from Lamahi to Koilabas, connecting East-West highway and India-Nepal border. It provides all weather blacktopped road connecting nine wards of seven villages including Lamahi and Koilabas. 

9. India and Nepal have been enjoying old, unwavering, unmatched and multidimensional development partnership. Today’s inauguration of new building of Rapti Cold Storage is a reflection of India’s continued development partnership with Nepal and complements effort of Government of Nepal in augmenting infrastructure in the field of agriculture.

 

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Kathmandu, Nepal

5th April 2021