Indian grant to Nepal rises to Rs. 3.5 billion

India has tripled its development assistance to Nepal during the Indian fiscal year 2006/07 for ongoing peace process in Nepal. India’s total development assistance amounted to around 3.5 billion rupees during the period, which ended in March 2007.
 
Pranay Verma, counselor for economic cooperation at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said India remained steadfast in its commitment to extend assistance for Nepal's economic rehabilitation and political stabilization.

He also informed that India has proposed development assistance worth Rs. 2,208 million to Nepal for the fiscal year 2007-08.

Verma also informed that India has provided assistance worth Rs. 1,120 million for Nepal’s peace process including equipment, vehicles, and containers for storage of arms, good material as well as support for the electoral process.

India has supplied around 100 vehicles, 1,639 VHF hand held sets, 892 VHF trans-receivers and 20 gensets for the Nepal police and UN Mission in Nepal to assist the peace process. Likewise, it also provided 70 containers used for storing of arms and ammunitions under the United Nations supervision.

Verma also said that India’s priority on large-scale infrastructure development projects would continue to be taken up on the request of Nepal government.
 
According to him, altogether 185 projects, with a total outlay of Rs 20,240 million are underway with assistance from the government of India and these projects are spread across the country.

Among the ongoing large health projects, a 200 bed emergency and trauma centre at Bir Hospital, establishment of Bhaktawari Hari Eye Hospital at Krishnanagar, Kapilvastu and continued support to BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences are some of the prominent ones.

Likewise, in education, Manamohan Memorial Polytechnic, Biratnagar, Polytechnic at Hetauda, Nepal-Bharat Maitri Vidhyalaya, Pokhara and 2,000 scholarships per year to Nepali students are the large scale projects.

Addressing the function, Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Shiv Shankar Mukharjee expressed delight over the results of the projects run under Indian assistance.  He also committed to continue support the projects prioritized by the government of Nepal.