Kathmandu, May 31: The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu handed over the school building for Shree Mahendra Secondary School, Sanfebagar Municipality, Achham District.

As per the release from the Embassy, the school building was formally handed over on Saturday jointly by Lalit Bahadur Kunwar, Chief, District Coordination Committee, Achham; Rajendra Bahadur Kunwar, Mayor, Sanfebagar Municipality and Suman Shekhar, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu to the Management of Shree Mahendra Secondary School, Achham.

"School Building of Shree Mahendra Secondary School has been built with Government of India's financial assistance at the project cost of NRs 32.40 million under 'Nepal-India Development Cooperation'," the release stated.

For the construction of building the Government of India's grant under 'Nepal-India Development Cooperation' has been utilized for the construction of the school building comprising class rooms, laboratory, computer room, staff room, administration section, principal's room, library, accounts section and toilets for boys and girls. The grant has also been utilized for the procurement of furniture and computers.

"The project was taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) and was implemented through DCC Achham," the release further stated.

Shree Mahendra Secondary School was established in the year 1960 as a Secondary School and subsequently upgraded to Higher Secondary school. The school runs classes from Nursery to 12th Standard. The school has a strength of more than 400 students, out of which 65% are girls.

DCC Achham; Mayor, Sanfebagar Municipality, Achham; Chairperson, School Management and other stakeholders appreciated the developmental support being provided by the Government of India to the people of Nepal. They expressed confidence that the new infrastructure would help provide better education facilities to the students of Mahendra Secondary School, Achham.

"It would also help enhance the overall learning environment and contribute to the development of the education sector of the region," the release mentioned.

Since 2003, India has taken up over 573 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 495 projects. Amongst these, 43 projects are located in Sudurpashchim Province including Shree Mahendra Secondary School in Achham.

In addition to these, Government of India has gifted 1,009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts and educational institutions in Nepal. Amongst these,70 ambulances and 27 school buses have been gifted in Sudurpashchim Province. Out of these, six ambulances were gifted in Achham.

As close neighbours, India and Nepal are engaged in wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation. The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of India in bolstering the efforts of Nepal in the growth and development of its people by augmenting infrastructure in priority sectors.

Political representatives, government officials, social workers and teachers of the school, students and their parents were also present on this occasion.