At a public function held at Pokhara on February 12, 2007, on behalf of Ambassador of India, Counsellor (Economic Cooperation), Embassy of India, Pranay Verma, laid the foundation stone of a new building for the Nepal Bharat Maitri Vidyalaya being constructed with the Indian assistance of over NRs.77 million in the complex of Pension Paying Office of Embassy of India, at Pokhara.

There are over 122,000 ex-servicemen in Nepal. With a view to provide quality education to their children, Government of India established a school in July 2000, with the concurrence of Government of Nepal, in a temporary accommodation at Pokhara. Subsequently, the Governments of India and Nepal signed an agreement on August 24, 2006 for setting up a higher secondary school affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education of India to ensure consistency in educational pattern for the children of Nepalese ex-servicemen on their return from India to Nepal. Presently the school is holding classes from standard I to VIII and is likely to be upgraded to higher classes.

Government of India has appointed a consultant/architect and would appoint a contractor for implementation of the project. A Project Monitoring Committee will be constituted for monitoring the progress of construction to ensure its timely and effective implementation.

Conveying the message from Ambassador of India at the function, Counsellor Verma stated that the new building of the school was a token of gratitude from the Government of India for the invaluable services provided by the ex-servicemen and expressed the hope that it would significantly contribute to the educational needs of their children, as also of other Nepalese students. He reiterated India’s commitment to extend all possible assistance to the people and Government of Nepal in their endeavour to seek lasting peace and development and expressed the hope that the various health and educational projects being executed under India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme would make a significant contribution in that direction.

This is the fourth educational project undertaken by Government of India in Kaski district in recent years and is part of more than 265 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 all the districts of Nepal with an outlay of over NRs.21.5 billions.