Kathmandu, March 29:

Japan had provided a total assistance of 281 billion Japanese Yen under Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Nepal till fiscal year 2004. Grants make the largest scrip of 58.93 per cent of the total assistance.

Human resource development, social sectors, agriculture development, basic economic infrastructure and environment conservation are the major five priority sectors where the assistance has been directed at.

“Over the past three decades, as part of Japan’s ODA, various projects have been realised in different parts of Nepal. The projects and programmes implemented under Japan’s ODA have been successful in achieving expected targets,” said Tsutomu Hiraoka, ambassador of Japan to Nepal.

The government of Japan has been extending ODA to Nepal since 1969 as an endeavour to achieve sustainable economic development and alleviate poverty from the country, Hiraoka said. Japan has been sharing its technical know-how and is working in all the five development regions of the country. The projects run under ODA are focussed on uplifting the living status of people at large.

The K3 power station envisioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under a project ‘The Extension and Reinforcement of Power Transmission and Distribution System in Kathmandu Valley’ has been implemented under the grant financial assistance from the government of Japan.

“The 66/11kV GIS K3 substation with 66 kV underground transmission line has contributed significantly in the extension, reinforcement and distribution network in the Kathmandu Valley,” said Krishna Jung Rayamajhi, project manager of the project. Horticulturists from Japan have been sharing their expertise in Nepal under Horticulture Development Project (HDP) of JICA. Dharma Maharjan, centre chief at HDP, said that the project has been very successful in reaching the rural population.

Sharing of technical expertise is also well reflected in projects like Rabies Vaccine Production at Rabies Vaccine Production Laboratory, Tripureshwor and Disaster Mitigation Support Programme (DMSP).

The Teku Transfer Station for solid waste management is yet another project commissioned under the ODA, which has helped in managing solid waste in Kathmandu valley to some extent.

Not the least is the Namaste Byayam, developed by Naoyuki Sakai, JICA senior volunteer. The Byayam is regularly broadcasted all over Nepal and is practiced at more than 70 schools in the valley.

Nepal and Japan are celebrating 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year. The embassy of Japan had organised an observation tour of Japanese ODA projects as part of the 50th anniversary celebration where information on projects run under ODA was disseminated.