Bhaktapur: The Indian Embassy today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhaktapur District Development Committee and Mahendra Shanti Secondary School at Balkot in the district for providing Rs 1.57 crore Indian grant to the school.

The assistance under the Nepal-India Economic Cooperation Programme will be used for infrastructure upgradation and procurement of furniture for the school.

According to the embassy, this is the second development project being undertaken with the Indian government assistance under Small Development Projects in the district.

India has also gifted three ambulances and one mobile clinic van to the district.

Established in 1952 as a primary school and later upgraded to the secondary level in 1995, the Balkot-based school is one of the oldest schools in the district.

“The new infrastructure to be developed with Indian aid will cater to the educational need of over 350 students (about 60 per cent girls), create an improved environment for learning and contribute to the development of education in the area,” the embassy said in a press release.

“It will also help upgrade the school upto the higher secondary level. The Bhaktapur DDC will implement the project as per the norms and regulations of the Government of Nepal, and it will be responsible for quality and timely completion of the project,” added the press release.

An oversight committee comprising representatives from the local development and administrative authorities has been constituted to ensure community participation.

source: The Himalayan Times