INDIA’S ECONOMIC COOPERATION
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Handsome Rise
Along with economic support, Nepal needs India’s genuine goodwill and friendship to bring stability and economic prosperity
By A CORRESPONDENT
Whether it was in the construction of first highway linking Kathmandu valley with the outside world or Tribhuwan International Airport or the first largest hydropower plant or university or industrial estate or hospital, India has been providing big economic support to Nepal’s move towards modernity.
“The government of India would continue to support Nepal in its development endeavors of uplifting people’s living standard. India ’s focus would remain in three major areas of education, health and infrastructure development,” said Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee last week.
In the process of strengthening infrastructures in Nepal , India has promised to upgrade the 1444 km feeder and postal roads with 14 bridges in the terai region. “The detailed project report for the same is expected to be complete by July this year,” said Pranay Verma, Economic Consular. “ India has proposed development assistance worth of Rs. 2208 million to Nepal for the fiscal year 2007-08. India’s priority on large-scale infrastructure development projects would continue to be taken up on the request of Nepal government and small grass roots level community based projects would also get due importance.”
In the last six decades, Nepal remains a major country which receives continual economic support from India to strengthen its infrastructures. Political relations between two countries have seen many ups and downs but there is continuity in Indian economic support to Nepal .
From communication to completion of east-west high way and now modernization of custom points in Nepal , India is coming to support Nepal ’s infrastructure building efforts. Whether it is Gandak Irrigation project or Kosi irrigation project, India helped Nepal to build infrastructures in irrigation sectors also.
India supported to build many roads in the valley including Dakchina Kali, Godavari and road to Balaju. India also supported to build drinking water projects in many parts of the country.
Most of the projects supported by India are helping to uplift the life of common people.
Making a presentation on India-Nepal economic cooperation’s sixth decade of partnership in development, economic consular at the Indian Embassy Pranay Verma revealed that India has proposed development assistance worth Rs.2,208 to Nepal for the fiscal year 2007-08.
After completion of Banbasa-Kohalpur road project few years back, India has not involved in the construction of big projects of Nepal but it continued to provide its economic support to grass root level including in the village level construction like school buildings, hostels, feeder roads, hospitals and other such facilities.
Recently, India supported the construction of 200-bed emergency and trauma center at Bir Hospital . India is also supporting to establish Bhaktawari Hari Eye Hospital at Krishnanagar and continues to support B.P. Koirala Institute for Health Sciences. In education sector, India has supported Manmohan Memorial Polytechnic at Biratnagar and polytechnic at Hetauda and Nepal-Bharat Maitri Vidyalaya at Pokhara. Among other large projects, upgrading of infrastructure of check posts (custom points) along the Indo-Nepal border and development of link and postal roads would be very crucial for economic development of Nepal .
“ India has been encouraged by the huge success of community-based projects, which have a budge outlay of less than Rs.30 million. Till February this year, 129 projects worth Rs. 2420 million have been approved to cover 65 districts,” said Verma.
India is also supporting Nepal ’s peace process. “ India has provided assistance worth Rs. 1120 million for Nepal ’s peace process including equipment, vehicles and containers for storage of arms and goods/materials as well as support for the electoral process,” said Verma.
Nepal and India share many commonalities of interest in religion, culture and other areas. India has generously provided economic support to Nepal contributing for enhancement of life of people. Along with this, Nepal also needs genuine support from India in all other areas including making Nepal a stable and prosperous democracy.
