Kathmandu, September 15:

The government of Japan has recently approved the utilisation of the counterpart fund for Rs 500,431,000 under the non-project grant aid in Japan’s fiscal year 2002 for implementing nine projects. According to a press statement issued by Embassy of Japan today, in the power sector, the Dhankuta Rural Electrification Project (DREP), amounting to Rs 60,000,000 has been approved.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will implement this project distributing power to about 30,000 people of 4,840 households in five VDCs. The project will contribute to promoting rural economy such as tourism and local industries, as well as achieving an increase in electric coverage from 40 per cent to 55 per cent among the total population, says the press statement. In the transport sector including local infrastructure development, Japan has approved four projects for Rs 162,286,000. Two projects will be implemented by the DOR in order to upgrade and maintain major roads including the Sindhuli Road (Bardibas-Sindhulimadi Section).

The Department of Rural Infrastructure Development and Agriculture Road (DOLIDAR), ministry of local development and district development committees (DDCs) will implement the other two projects for the construction of six bridges in six districts, and the maintenance and rehabilitation of 155 suspension bridges on the trails in 52 districts, contributing to improving accessibility in rural areas.

Similarly, in the education sector, Japan has approved the project for a Dalit Scholarship for primary school children amounting to Rs 105,000,000. This project will be implemented by the district education offices under the Department of Education to provide scholarships to about 210,000 dalit children, which is 36 per cent of the total Dalit children in 38 disadvantaged districts, thus contributing to increasing the enrolment in primary schools towards achieving the goal of the ‘Education for All’. In the drinking water sector, a water supply project consisting of nine different sites in three districts (Sarlahi, Nawalparasi and Rupendehi) amounting to Rs 38,300,000 has been approved.

The project will be implemented by the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage, ministry of physical planning and works, in order to provide basic water supply services to approximately 140,000 local people in the target area. Japan has approved two projects in water induced disaster management sector amounting to Rs 134,845,000 for the rehabilitation of the Mugling-Narayanghat Highway and Sindhuli Road (Bardibas-Skindhulimadi Section) affected by landslides, debris flows and floods.