Kathmandu, February 17 The Government of Japan has agreed to provide grant assistance of four billion Japanese Yen (equivalent to approximately Rs 3.5 billion) to the Government of Nepal for ‘The Project on Rehabilitation and Recovery from Nepal Earthquake.” An agreement to this effect was concluded in response to the notes of grant assistance exchanged by the governments of the two countries on December 21, 2015. Amid a function held at the Ministry of Finance in Singha Durbar, the agreements were signed and exchanged between Baikuntha Aryal, joint secretary, International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division, MoF on behalf of the Government of Nepal and Tsutomu Shimizu, chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency Nepal on behalf of the JICA today. The grant assistance will be used for the reconstruction of Thapathali-based Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Bir Hospital, rehabilitation of Water Transmission System in Chautara, Sindhupalchowk and construction of a bridge along the Barhakilo-Barpak road, Gorkha. “JICA Nepal believes that the reconstruction of Bir Hospital would support to provide quality health service to the general public and reconstruction of Paropakar Maternity Hospital would support in quality reproductive health service to women and provides essential care for women and newborn babies,” a press statement issued by JICA Nepal said. JICA has also unveiled the designs of the hospitals.