India is to assist Nepal in an infrastructure project in the Terai area which will have a far-reaching impact on the entire economy of the Terai. This involves the strengthening of roads and building of projects at an outlay estimated at NRs. 805 crores (NRs. 8.05 billion). A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in this regard, between the Embassy of India and the Government of Nepal.
The massive increase in the physical connectivity through this ambitious project is expected to have a catalytic impact on the overall socio-economic development of the region.
India’s cooperation in the development of infrastructure in Nepal, specially in transport, has included the building of roads, airfields as well as railways dating as far back as 1951. Some major roads built with the Indian cooperation including the first road from Bhainse to Thankot, most of the section of Mahendra Rajmarg (East West Highway), which is the lifeline of Nepalese economy, Tribhuvan Raj Path, Karawa-Lumbini Road, Kathmandu-Trishuli Road, Balaju Road, Tripureshwor-Thankot Road, Dakshinkali Road, Janakpur Town Road and Sidhartha Rajmarg and airports at Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Pokhara, Simra, Janakpur and Bhairawa.
India’s economic cooperation programme in Nepal focuses on three key sectors, health, education and infrastructure. At present as many as 139 projects are currently at various stages of implementation, in 61 districts of Nepal at a cost of NRs. 1800 crores (NRs. 18 billion).
In addition to these ongoing and already agreed upon projects, the Government of India provided a package of NRs. 1500 crores (NRs. 15 billion) to Nepal, announced during the recent visit to India of the Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala. During that visit, the Prime Minister of India stressed that India was ready to help Nepal at this critical hour of its need, to the limit of India’s resources, in areas identified by the Government of Nepal, in order to accelerate the economic recovery of Nepal.
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