KATHMANDU: The Government of Japan has agreed to provide Rs 257 million in grant assistance to Nepal for the implementation of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship.

With this scheme, second batch of 20 Nepali government officials will be selected for master degree programs in various universities in Japan.

Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Masashi Ogawa and Secretary Shanta Raj Subedi at the Ministry of Finance, signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding today on behalf of their respective governments.

In a Statement today, Japanese Embassy said that the grant is provided to enhance the capacity of highly capable, energetic and young government officials in various Japanese universities.

"The graduates are then expected to engage in formulation and implementation of socio-economic development plans and programs, be future leaders or engines for the development in their respective countries," it said in a statement.

The Japanese diplomatic mission in Kathmandu further said that grant would help scholarship recipients to build a strong international human network and also strengthen the existing cordial relationship and cooperation between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.

The Japan Government has been providing scholarship to government officials of its friendly nations.