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Grant Assistance to Nepal in JFY 2000
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- Construction of Sindhuli Road (Section II: Sindhuli Bazar-Khurkot)
The Government of Japan provided two billion, four hundred and thirty nine million Japanese yen (¥2,439,000,000), equivalent to approximately US$23,143,000, for the construction of Sindhuli Road (Section II: Sindhuli Bazar - Khurkot). The 160 km long Sindhuli Road under construction has four sections. Section II, which stretches from Sindhuli Bazar to Khurkot, is about 40 km in length. Once it is completed, the road is expected to be the main corridor between the capital city of Kathmandu and Mahendra Highway (the East-West Highway) in Terai via Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts.
- Construction of Primary Schools under Basic and Primary Education Programme
The Government of Japan provided ¥810,000,000, equivalent to approximately NRs. 537,030,000, for the implementation of the project for Construction of Primary Schools under Basic and Primary Education Programme, Phase II (BPEP-II).
The main objectives of the grant are to improve children's enrollment, to promote their access to basic and primary education, and to increase their retention and completion of primary school by strengthening physical facilities in the schools, based on the BPEP policy framework of His Majesty's Government of Nepal.
Construction materials are to be procured from the grant for 900 classrooms, 18 resource centers, 155 water supply facilities, and 310 toilets in 12 districts of Nepal that have schools with the lowest Gross Enrollment Ratio of girls and disadvantaged children.
- Improvement of Storage Facilities for Iodized Salt
The Government of Japan extended a grant assistance of five hundred thirty-seven million yen (¥537,000,000), approximately NRs.367,308,000, for the implementation of the project for Improvement of Storage Facilities of Iodized Salt - Phase I.
Iodine deficiency disorder is still one of the major prevailing public health problems in Nepal. The consumers are deprived of regular supply of adequately iodized salt. In the year 1997, 20% of the population was reported to be affected by goiter. Since then, its control has been one of the top priorities in people's health care. Under the 9th Five-Year Plan, the Government of Nepal is committed to eliminating iodine deficiency disorders in Nepal by the year 2002.
Against this background, the Government of Japan decided to support the Government of Nepal to construct storage facilities for iodized salt in Janakpur and Biratnagar with 2,000 MT and 5,000 MT capacities, respectively.
The facilities are expected to enable Nepalese Government not only to increase its present storage capacity but also to protect iodine loss during storage. Also provided under the project is the handling equipment, equipment for salt quality control, iodization plant and packaging facility to reach the iodized salt to the people in proper condition. The assistance is expected to bring a considerable improvement in the efficient and effective management of storage facilities so that adequate amount of iodized salt can be supplied to the consumers.
- Improvement of Intersections in Kathmandu City
Twenty-three million Japanese yen (¥23,000,000), equivalent to one hundred and ninety-seven thousand US dollars (US$197,000), was extended by the Government of Japan for the materialization of the project for Improvement of Intersections in Kathmandu City.
The Kathmandu Valley faces various urban problems. Rapid increase in motorization as well as population and heavy road traffic are some of the major problems among them. Urban traffic conditions in the city are deteriorating. Especially, traffic problems at bottleneck junctions and their adjacent areas are getting serious and they are adversely affecting daily activities of the ordinary citizens. Traffic problems at bottleneck junctions include severe traffic congestion, increase in traffic accidents and considerable amount of gas emission by vehicles during standstill. To address these problems, the Government of Japan extended a grant for the Detailed Design of 10 intersections in Kathmandu City recommended by the Basic Design Study undertaken by the Government of Japan.
The project is expected to contribute to lessen the existing traffic problems by facilitating smoother and more orderly traffic and thus help protect the ordinary citizens from accidents and the health hazard caused by road traffic pollution.
- Debt Relief Measures
The Government of Japan extended a total of one billion, nine hundred and thirty-six million, eight hundred and thirty-five thousand Japanese yen (¥1,936,835,000) under the Debt Relief Measures in JFY 2000. This grant is utilized for procuring construction materials, fertilizers, petroleum products, medicine, transportation related equipment etc. for the purpose of the development of Nepal. The Government of Japan has been providing grant under Debt Relief Measures since 1978.
- Increase of Food Production
Grant assistance of eight hundred and fifty million yen (Y850,000,000), approximately US$6,936,000, was extended by the Government of Japan for the Promotion of Food Production.
This grant was provided for the purpose of procuring fertilizers and gearing up the agricultural production to meet the growing demand for food.
Under the agreement, His Majesty's Government of Nepal will have to deposit in the KRII counterpart fund, in Nepalese currency, an amount equivalent to two-thirds of the yen disbursement paid with respect to purchase of fertilizers. The currency thus deposited shall be utilized for the purposes of economic and social development, including agricultural, forestry and/or fisheries development, and the increase of food production in Nepal.
- Emergency Assistance for Flood and landslide
In light of the nation-wide damages and casualties caused by the floods in Nepal, and upon the request of His Majesty's Government of Nepal, the Government of Japan decided to extend grant assistance of three hundred thousand US dollars (US$300,000) under the Emergency Assistance Programe of the Government of Japan, in August 2000. This assistance was intended to support the government's emergency relief programmes for people in areas affected by floods and landslides caused by torrential monsoon rains.
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