Kathmandu, A project to construct a community school building is to be implemented under the Nepal-India Development Cooperation in Udayapur district. The foundation stone was laid for the construction of a building of Shree Janata Belaka Secondary School, Belaka municipality, Udayapur district amidst a function on Wednesday.

The project is being implemented with India’s financial assistance at the tendered cost of Rs 37.9 million, according to the Embassy. Lawmaker and former Minister Narayan Khadka and Shri Prasanna Shirivastava, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kathmandu jointly laid the foundation stone for the project. Public representatives, government officials, social workers, representatives of the School management, teachers, parents and students were also present on the occasion.

Under the project, a three-storied school building with the required class rooms and other infrastructure facilities will be constructed. The project is being undertaken as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP), earlier known as Small Development Projects, under an agreement between Nepal and India. This project is being implemented through the Belaka Municipality, Udayapur, the Embassy said.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Khadka appreciated the continued developmental support from India in upliftment of the socio-economic status of the people of Nepal in its priority sectors while India’s Deputy Chief of Mission highlighted that the project is an important part of the very robust development partnership between India and Nepal, which has made significant progress in the recent years, spanning various priority sectors of the Government of Nepal and its people.

He expressed continued commitment of the Indian government for bolstering this development partnership as per the priorities of Nepal, for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries. The Deputy Chief of Mission also highlighted the successful completion last month of 20 years of HICDP implementation in Nepal. Since 2003, India has taken up over 550 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 488 projects, it is said.