KATHMANDU: Standard Chartered Bank Nepal has handed over Rs 2.47 million to Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO) under its ‘Seeing is Believing’ Phase V programme.

The funding is part of a financial grant of $1 million (Rs 100 million) agreed earlier by the bank for funding a major expansion project by TIO.

The objective of this project is to upgrade facilities at District Community Eye Centres in Bhaktapur and Nuwakot with the aim to reduce avoidable blindness by developing surgical facilities in rural and semi-urban areas.

Anirvan Ghosh Dastidar, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Ltd handed over the cheque to CEO of TIO Dr Rita Gurung at a special function organised at the bank on Wednesday, as per a press statement.

The bank had earlier extended a financial support of $1 million to the Biratnagar Eye Hospital (EREC-P) under its ‘Seeing is Believing’ Phase IV programme.