In a public function held on March 12, 2007, on behalf of Ambassador of India, Shri Pranay Verma, Counsellor (Economic Cooperation) laid the foundation stone for the new building of Administrative and Library block with boundary wall for Tulsi Lal Memorial Agriculture and Cooperative Training & Information Centre being constructed with the assistance of Government of India at Gwachee, Lalitpur. The function was attended by representatives of Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City Office and local administration of Lalitpur, community leaders and a large number of people from the area.
This is the third developmental project undertaken by the Government of India as part of the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme apart from gifting of four ambulances in district Lalitpur. Government of India has been providing financial assistance for rehabilitation of Rajkulo in the district and has also gifted a Silk Twisting Machine to Nepal Srijanatmak Kala Guthi, Dhobighat for establishment of a sericulture training institute. Under the current project, Government of India is providing a cooperation grant of NRs.2,41,00,374/- to Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City Office for construction of the new building. The project will be implemented by Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City Office (LSMC), while an Oversight Committee consisting of LSMC, management of the Cooperative Training and Information Centre and District Cooperative Division will monitor the project.
Tulsi Lal Memorial Foundation, established in 1998 has been working for social causes. Main objective of the Cooperative Training & Information Centre being set up by the Foundation is to provide new technology in the field of agriculture and sale of agricultural products through cooperative institutions. It is hoped that the new building to be constructed with the assistance of Government of India would provide access to improved technology, skill acquisition and market and would improve the livelihood of poor farmers by strengthening the cooperative institutions in Nepal. The project, therefore, is of significant importance for the development of entrepreneurship capacity in the field of agriculture and its marketing through cooperative institutions.
During the foundation stone laying ceremony, Counsellor (Economic Cooperation) stressed the importance of improved technology in agriculture for Nepal’s development. He expressed the hope that the new infrastructure of the cooperative training and information centre would make a significant contribution in that direction and would emerge as an important symbol of India-Nepal Economic Cooperation. He reiterated the commitment of Government of India, made during the visit of Prime Minister of Nepal to India in June 2006, to triple the development assistance to strengthen and diversify bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries, and noted that the people and government of India will walk together with the people of Nepal in their quest for peace and development.
The project is part of the ongoing bilateral economic cooperation programme between India and Nepal, under which more than 185 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 over NRs.2000 crores. .
|