Two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed today by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu with (a) Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City Office and Tulsi Lal Memorial Agriculture and Cooperative Training and Information Centre, Gwachee, Lalitpur for providing cooperation grant of NRs. 2,41,00,374/- for the construction of administrative and library block with boundary wall for Tulsi Lal Memorial Agriculture and Cooperative Training and Information Centre in Gwachee, Lalitpur and (b) District Development Committee, Dhanusha for providing cooperation grant of NRs.2,69,26,050/- for the construction of five kilometre road from Mahuwa Khajuri to Lagma Bazar in District Dhanusha.
Under the MOU, monitoring committees have been constituted for both projects consisting of representatives of Sub-Metropolitan City Office/DDC, relevant District authorities and the primary users to oversee the project, supervise the construction work and ensure effective utilization of the grant.
The construction of the new building for Tulsi Lal Memorial Agriculture and Cooperative Training and Information Centre in Lalitpur will provide improved access to technology, skill acquisition and market for hundreds of poor farmers and strengthen the development of cooperative institutions in Nepal.
At present, people of Mahuwa VDC in Dhanusha face day-to-day difficulty due to lack of connectivity with the adjoining areas, including the nearby market and schools. The construction of the road linking Mahuwa Khajuri with Lagma Bazar will improve connectivity of Mahuwa VDC with a prominent school of the area - KSHSB Higher Secondary School, Mahuwa - which was also constructed with GOI assistance, and the local market. Apart from benefiting over 700 school children and 40,000 local population of Dhanusha, the proposed road will also create improved linkages between the border markets in India and Khajuri and other markets of Nepal, thus further reinforcing economic ties between our two countries.
These two projects are part of the on-going bilateral economic cooperation programme between India and Nepal, under which more than 170 projects are being realized in the sectors of education, health, community development and infrastructure covering almost all the districts of Nepal with an outlay of NRs. 2000 crores. In order to strengthen and diversify bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries, during the visit of Prime Minister of Nepal to India in June 2006, Government of India committed itself to triple the development assistance to Nepal. The new hope for peace and development in Nepal ushered in by historic changes and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement stands to add greater vigour and momentum to developmental cooperation between India and Nepal.
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