March 5, 2010
 Japan's Assistance for Community Access Project
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The Government of Japan has agreed to extend Grant Assistance of nine hundred and ninety million Japanese yen (¥990,000,000), approximately eleven million, two hundred and one thousand US dollars (US$11,201,000), or about eight hundred and seventeen million, seven hundred and forty thousand Nepalese rupees (NRs. 817,740,000) to the Government of Nepal, for the execution of the Project for the Improvement of Community Access in Japan's FY 2009.
In responding to the request made by the Government of Nepal, the Government of Japan has decided to implement this Project for improving accessibility for areas adjoining the Sindhuli Road. This is to be implemented under the Japan's Grant Assistance. The objective of this Project is to achieve sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty in the project area by supporting social stability in Nepal.
Under this Project, a total of 35 river-crossing structures will be constructed on 11 rural roads in five districts, namely, Mahotari, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Kavrepalanchok and Sindhupalchok in the Central Region of Nepal. These river-crossings structures are to be built at high priority places, where local people are stranded in their villages during the rainy season due to strong river-currents caused by the flood and debris flow. To address these difficulties, single lane motorable bridges with a total of 3 suspension bridges, 6 truss bridges, 3 reinforced concrete bridges, and 23 continuous box bridges will be constructed over the rivers.
In this context, a set of Notes was signed and exchanged today between His Excellency Mr. Tatsuo MIZUNO, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and Mr. Rameshore Prasad Khanal, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, on behalf of their respective Governments.
In implementing this Project, it is planned to utilize local consultants as well as local contractors in order to disseminate the comparatively advanced know-how of construction technology to the local level. Through this sort of consideration, it is expected that Nepalese consultant firms as well as contracting agencies will be able to learn lots from Japanese construction management skills and thus to be empowered.
On the occasion, H.E. Mr. MIZUNO expressed his sincere belief that about 325,000 people from nearby villages in the five districts would be directly benefited by this Project. Since the Sindhuli Road has already brought about considerable socio-economic benefits to local people, this Community Access Project will also be able to provide improved connectivity for the nearby villages. Mr. MIZUNO also reiterated that a road widening project on the route between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur being implemented under the Japan's ODA, is in progress. In connection with the Community Access Projects and the Kathmandu �EBhaktapur Road widening projects, he expressed that connecting the Kathmandu Valley and the southern Terai plain via both the Sindhuli Road and the Arniko Highway will provide significant socio-economic fluidity and conveniences, improving daily lives of people in the Project areas.
H.E. Mr. MIZUNO also expressed his hope that Japan's continued support to Nepal's economic and infrastructure development will help improve the well-being of Nepalese people and continue to promote the peace process for New Nepal. This support will also help to strengthen the existing cordial relationship of friendship and cooperation between the people of both nations.
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