At a public function held on May 24, 2008, Ambassador of India, Shri Rakesh Sood laid the foundation stone for the new building of Shree Ratan Pandey Secondary School, Arba VDC-6 in district Kaski, which is being constructed with grant assistance of NRs.27.52 million from the Government of India.

Established in 1958, Shree Ratan Pandey Secondary School is one of the oldest schools in district Kaski. It is hoped that the new three-storied classroom building, with provision of furniture, lab equipment and computers, would help the school meet the basic infrastructure required to accommodate the increasing number of students and create a more conducive environment for teaching and learning. The project is being implemented by the District Development Committee (DDC) of Kaski.

Underlining the importance of educational infrastructure at the grassroots level for Nepal's overall development, Ambassador Sood, in his address at the function, expressed the hope that the various development projects being implemented under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme would be able to make a contribution in that direction. He emphasized that alongside the process of political stabilization of Nepal, the task of development and providing a better life for the people of Nepal must move forward unhindered. He congratulated the people of Nepal for holding the Constituent Assembly elections in a peaceful manner and reiterated India's commitment to extend all possible assistance to the people and Government of Nepal in their endeavour to seek lasting peace, stability and development.

This is among five development projects undertaken by the Government of India in district Kaski in recent years. Overall, the project is part of more than 275 large and small projects currently being implemented under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme in the sectors of education, health, community development and infrastructure covering almost all districts of Nepal with an outlay of over NRs.21.5 billion.