KATHMANDU: The Government of Japan has committed Japanese Yen 454 million (approximately Rs 423 million) in grant aid to Nepal for the implementation of the Human Resource Development Project for the fiscal year 2024-25.
An agreement formalizing the grant was signed today at the Ministry of Finance, with Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire, Secretary of the Finance Ministry, and Kikuta Yutaka, Japan’s Ambassador to Nepal, representing their respective sides.
The Japanese Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Programme, which began in Nepal in 2015 with support from the Government of Japan, continues to be implemented in phases, according to a press release from the Ministry.
The current grant will fund scholarships for 22 candidates: 20 for two-year Master’s degrees and two for three-year PhD programs at various universities in Japan.
To date, 127 JDS fellows, including 125 Master’s degree holders and two PhD recipients, have completed their studies in Japan and returned to Nepal, while 35 are currently pursuing Master’s degrees and three are working on PhDs.
During the signing ceremony, Secretary Dr. Ghimire emphasized that the scholarship program will enhance the capabilities of Nepal’s civil service, thereby improving public service delivery.
He also expressed hope that it will strengthen bilateral relations between Nepal and Japan.
Ambassador Kikuta expressed confidence that the JDS graduates will significantly contribute to Nepal’s development and further reinforce the longstanding cooperation between the two nations.
The Government of Nepal extended its sincere appreciation to the Government of Japan for its continued and generous support towards the socio-economic and human resource development of Nepal.
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