KATHMANDU: Two schools in Nepal, constructed with financial assistance from the Indian government under the ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ program, were inaugurated in the presence of government officials, embassy officials, and political representatives.

The school building of Shree Bal Janata Secondary School in Lamahi Municipality, Dang, was built with financial aid from the Indian government at a cost of Rs 17.60 million, according to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

The inauguration was conducted jointly by Ratna Bahadur Khatri, Social Development Minister of Lumbini Province, Nityananda Sharma, Chief of the District Coordination Committee, Jogaraj Chaudhary, Mayor of Lamahi Municipality, and Avinash Kumar Singh, First Secretary of the Embassy of India, Kathmandu.

Additionally, the school building of Shree Padmodaya Public Model Secondary School in Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City, Dang, was also constructed with financial assistance from the Indian government at a cost of NPR 28.70 million.

“Political representatives, government officials, social workers, representatives of the school management, teachers, parents, and students were also present on this occasion,” the embassy stated.

The Indian government’s grant under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ was utilized to construct double-storied school buildings, laboratories, provision lab equipment, furniture, and other facilities at Shree Bal Janata Secondary School in Lamahi Municipality.

Similarly, the grant was used for the construction of a double-storied school building with additional facilities at Shree Padmodaya Public Secondary School in Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City, Dang.

“These projects were undertaken as High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) under an agreement between the Government of India and the Government of Nepal on High Impact Community Development Projects,” the embassy said.

The projects were implemented through the District Coordination Committee, Dang. The Minister of Lumbini Province, the Chief of the District Coordination Committee, the Mayor of Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City, and the Mayor of Lamahi Municipality, in their remarks, appreciated the continued developmental support of the Indian government in priority sectors.

“The facilities created will provide better educational opportunities for students of Shree Bal Janata Secondary School and Shree Padmodaya Public Model Secondary School in Dang, Nepal, improving the learning environment and contributing to the development of education in this region,” the statement added.

Since 2003, the Indian government has undertaken over 551 HICDPs in Nepal across various sectors and has completed 490 projects.

Among these, 61 projects are in Lumbini Province across various sectors, including six projects in Dang.

Additionally, India has gifted 1,009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts, and educational institutions in Nepal.

Of these, 164 ambulances and 43 school buses have been gifted to Lumbini Province, including 19 ambulances and 5 school buses provided in Dang District.

As close neighbors, India and Nepal share wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation.

“The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the efforts of the Government of Nepal in uplifting its people, augmenting infrastructure in priority sectors, especially in the education sector in Nepal,” the embassy said in its release.

ANI