India-Nepal Development Partnership Gains Momentum: Key Projects Announced
In the realm of transportation, the Kurtha-Bijalpura rail link has been operationalized, enhancing people-to-people connectivity between the two countries.
Kathmandu: The Embassy of India in Nepal has revealed that the India-Nepal development partnership is making significant progress, with several key projects and initiatives underway. The embassy shared these updates on social networking site X (formerly known as Twitter), highlighting the commitment made during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India in June 2023 to increase electricity exports to India to 10,000 MW over the next decade.
Prime Minister Dahal’s visit to India, which took place from May 31 to June 3, has led to several noteworthy developments in bilateral cooperation. One of the key announcements is the approval of an additional 180 MW of electricity export to India, bringing Nepal’s total power export capacity to 631 MW. The embassy noted that Nepal now has access to media and real-time markets for power exports, including the day-ahead market. Furthermore, a new 132 kV Tanakpur-Mahendranagar transmission line has been added to facilitate power exports.
In the realm of transportation, the Kurtha-Bijalpura rail link has been operationalized, enhancing people-to-people connectivity between the two countries.
The Indian Embassy also highlighted the inauguration and handover of community development projects funded by Indian grants. These projects include the campus building of Himalaya Kiran Public Campus in Khandbari Municipality, Sankhuwasabha, and three projects in Sudurpashchim: Tikapur Multiple Campus in Kailali district, Shree Pashupati Shiksha Mandir, and Shree Siddhanath Secondary School in Kanchanpur district. Over the years, a total of 546 projects have been undertaken in various districts across Nepal for the benefit of local communities.
Additionally, the embassy mentioned the construction of the school building for Shree Bishnudevi Secondary School in Chandragiri, Kathmandu, supported by Indian assistance. In August, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed for four community development projects in Darchula, Sankhuwasabha, and Udayapur districts, covering education, water supply, and sanitation.
India’s commitment to Nepal is further reflected in the gifting of 34 ambulances and 50 school buses to various organizations in Nepal in July. To date, India has gifted a total of 974 ambulances and 234 buses to Nepal.
The embassy also highlighted post-2015 earthquake reconstruction assistance, including the reconstruction of Shree Napichandra Mahavihar in Lalitpur, the reconstruction of Budhanilkantha Dharamshala in Budhanilkantha Municipality, and the groundbreaking for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini.
These developments underscore the strengthening and deepening of the India-Nepal development partnership, which continues to benefit both nations and foster closer ties between them.
