KASKI: The World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Department for International Development (DFID) have been urged to provide assistance for improvement of rural areas and roads in Nepal, said Finance Ministry secretary Rameshwor Khanal today.

Speaking at a programme held to discuss how to make programmes operated by WB, ADB, and DFID in Nepal more effective and take them to the people, Khanal said that all the three organisations have been

urged to change their strategy of investing only in targeted sectors and spend in additional sectors too.

WB has set the target to provide assistance of Rs 60 billion, ADB Rs 45 billion and DFID Rs 17 billion for a three-year programme in Nepal. These organizations have been investing in different sectors including education, health, peace, security, economic development, employment, food security, agriculture, transportation, information technology and energy in Nepal.

DFID Asia director Jim Drummond, ADB branch chief Sarah Sanyahumbi, WB Nepal director Susan Goldmark and ADB director Barry Hitchcock took part in the discussion.