Kathmandu, May 24: The School Building of Shree Bal Janata Secondary School at Lamahi Municipality, Dang, built with Government of India’s financial assistance at the tendered cost of NRs.17.60 million under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ was  inaugurated on Friday jointly by  Ratna Bahadur Khatri, Social Development Minister of Lumbini Province, Nityananda Sharma, Chief, District Coordination Committee, Jogaraj Chaudhary, Mayor, Lamahi Municipality and   Avinash Kumar Singh, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu. Further, School Building of Shree Padmodaya Public Model Secondary School at Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, Dang, built with the Government of India’s financial assistance at the tendered cost of NRs.28.70 million under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ was  also inaugurated jointly on Friday by  Nityananda Sharma, Chief  District Coordination Committee, Narulal Chaudhary, Mayor, Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City and Avinash Kumar Singh, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu. Political representatives, government officials, social workers, representatives of the school management,  teachers, parents and students were also present on this occasion.  

The Government of India grant under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’, was utilized for the construction of double storied school building, laboratories, provisioning of lab equipment, furniture and other facilities at Shree Bal Janata Secondary School at Lamahi Municipality. Also, the GoI grant was utilized for the construction of a double storied school building with other facilities at Shree Padmodaya Public Secondary School at Ghorahi Sub Metropolitan City, Dang. These projects were taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP), under an Agreement between Government of India and Government of Nepal on High Impact Community Development Projects. The projects were implemented through District Coordination Committee, Dang. 

Minister of Lumbini Province, Chief DCC, Mayor of Sub Metropolitan City and Mayor of Lamahi Municipality, Dang in their remarks appreciated the continued developmental support of the Government of India in priority sectors.  

The set up created would be useful in providing better education facilities to students of Shree Bal Janata Secondary School and  Shree Padmodaya Public Model Secondary School in Dang, Nepal and would create an improved environment for learning as well as contribute to the development of the education in this region.   

Since 2003, Government of India has taken up over 551 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 490 projects. Amongst these, 61 projects are in Lumbini Province in various sectors, which include 6 projects in Dang. In addition to these, Government of India has gifted 1009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts and educational institutions in Nepal. Amongst these, 164 ambulances and 43 school buses have been gifted in Lumbini Province, including 19 ambulances and 5 school buses provided in Dang District.  

As close neighbours, 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 upliftment of its people, augmenting infrastructure in the field of priority sector, especially in the education sector in Nepal.