Kathmandu, March 16:

India has reiterated its continuous support to Nepal in both large infrastructure development and community-based projects.

Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, Indian ambassador to Nepal, said that the government of India would continue to support Nepal in its development endeavours of uplifting people’s living standard. He also stated that India’s focus would remain in three major areas of education, health and infrastructure development.

Making a presentation on ‘India-Nepal economic cooperation: sixth decade of partnership in development’ at a programme organised today, Pranay Verma, economic consular at the Indian embassy, informed that India has proposed development assistance worth Rs 2,208 million to Nepal for the fiscal year 2007-08.

He also said that India’s priority on large-scale infrastructure development projects would continue to be taken up on the request of Nepal government. Small, grassroots level community-based projects would also get a due importance, he informed.

Verma added that India has been encouraged by the huge success of community-based projects, which have a budget outlay of less than Rs 30 million. Till February this year, 129 such projects worth Rs 2,420 million have been approved to cover 65 districts.

Among three major components for such projects, education (school support projects) cover almost 75 per cent of the total projects. Over 167,000 students in more than 1500 VDCs have benefited from school projects, whereas total beneficiaries from small development projects have been estimated to be about 10 million people.

Altogether 185 projects, with a total outlay of Rs 20,240 million are underway with assistance from the government of India, Verma said, adding that these projects are spread across the country.

Among the ongoing large health projects, a 200 bed emergency and trauma centre at Bir Hospital, establishment of Bhaktawari Hari Eye Hospital at Krishnanagar, Kapilvastu and continued support to BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences are some of the prominent ones. In education, Manamohan Memorial Polytechnic, Biratnagar, Polytechnic at Hetauda, Nepal-Bharat Maitri Vidhyalaya, Pokhara and 2,000 scholarships per year to Nepali students are the large scale projects.

In the area of infrastructure development, India has already promised to upgrade the 1,444 km feeder and postal roads with 14 bridges in the Terai region. The detailed project report (DPR) for the same is expected to be complete by July this year, said Verma.

Among large projects, upgradation of infrastructure of four check posts (customs points) along the Indo-Nepal border and development of link and postal roads would be very crucial for economic development of Nepal.

Verma also reiterated India’s support for Nepal’s peace process. He said, “India believes that while there is an urgent need to hold constituent assembly elections on time and in a free and fair manner, it is equally critical to ensure that economic deliverables, particularly in the areas of education, health and infrastructure, reach people without any pre-conditions in a smooth, quick and unencumbered manner.”

He also informed that India has provided assistance worth Rs 1,120 million for Nepal’s peace process including equipment, vehicles, and containers for storage of arms, good material as well as support for the electoral process.