Indian Cooperation Grant of NRs.61,67,100/-for Shree Saraswati Higher Secondary School, Pipra-Bhalohia, Rautahat

At a public function held on November 21, 2006 at Pipra-Bhalohia in District Rautahat, Consul General of India, Shri C. Gururaj Rao on behalf of Ambassador of India Mukherjee inaugurated the school building of Shree Sarawati Higher Secondary School. The function was well attended by representatives of DDC, Rautathat, local administration and a large number of people from the area.

Government of India has provided a grant of NRs.61,67,100/- for this project, for which a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on August 23, 2004 between the Government of India and the Government of Nepal. The School will immediately benefit about 1200 students by providing quality education and a better environment for learning and will contribute to the improvement of social and economic conditions of the people in this area.

In addition to Shree Saraswati Higher Secondary School at Pipra-Bhalohia, the construction of two more schools in the Rautahat district, namely Shree Juddha Secondary School at Gaur and Shree Secondary School at Simarabhawanipur is being undertaken under the India-Nepal economic cooperation programme.

During the function, Consul General of India reiterated the commitment of Government of India, made during the visit of Prime Minister of Nepal in June 2006, to triple the developmental assistance and double the scholarships for Nepalese students to strengthen and diversify bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries. He stressed upon the need for development of education as the most important requirement for the overall development of Nepal.

Currently the bilateral cooperation programme between the two countries is witnessing the realisation of 160 projects in education, health and infrastructure sectors in 65 districts of Nepal with an outlay of NRs.2000 crores. These are ongoing projects and distinct from the economic package of NRs.1600 crores announced during the visit of Prime Minister Koirala to India in June 2006. Following the historic decisions taken by the leadership of the Seven Party Alliance led by Prime Minister G.P. Koirala and the CPN (Maoist), the Government and people of India are always ready to extend their full support to the efforts for economic well-being of the people of Nepal.