KATHMANDU: The government has expedited the process of recruiting staffers for the US grant Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) after it was ratified by the parliament.

The Ministry of Finance has informed that 10 staffers have been recruited in the preliminary phase for the execution of the project.
MCA Nepal Development Committee under the Finance Ministry announced vacancies for 10 staffers on Tuesday.

The MCC was ratified with the 12-point interpretative declaration on last Sunday amidst protests and demonstrations from all quarters.
According to the compact reached with America, Nepal will receive almost Rs 60 billion (USD 500 million) from America in grant assistance within five years.

With the grant, a 312-km transmission line with the capacity of 400 KV will be constructed.
Out of the USD 500 million, USD 400 million will be allocated for the construction of power transmission line while the remaining amount will be spent.

One power transmission line will be stretched from Nanglebhare of Kathmandu to Ratmate of Nuwakot to Hetauda of Makwanpur. Similarly, the other transmission will be constructed from Ratmate of Nuwakot to Damauli of Tanahu to Parasi to the Nepal-India border. A total of 850 towers will be constructed.

Similarly, 100 km road will be repaired from this grant. USD 52 million will be spent for the repair of the Chandrauta-Dhankhola-Bhalubang-Lahami-Shivakhola road section of the East-West Highway.

According to Khadga Bahadur Bista, the Executive Director of the MCA-Nepal, a survey is underway into this road section under the FDR (Full Depth Reclamation) technology. This will be a new technology which will come in handy in the future for the construction of road in the country.

The Department of Roads will take it as a new learning of technology, said Keshav Kumar Sharma, joint secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, who is also a member of the steering committee of the MCA-Nepal.