Girls' hostel building made with India’s financial assistance inaugurated in Nepal
| 2024-05-28
The newly built Mangala Devi Singh Memorial Girls Hostel in Kathmandu, Nepal was inaugurated on May 27, 2024.
The project was completed under the Nepal-India Development Cooperation initiative
In a significant boost to educational infrastructure, a new girls' hostel building was inaugurated on the premises of Padmakanya Secondary School at Dillibazar, Kathmandu on Monday (May 27, 2024). Constructed with India's grant assistance of NRs 32.36 million, the facility is expected to provide enhanced residential and educational amenities to female students.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Santosh Budathoki, Chief of the District Coordination Committee, Kathmandu, and Avinash Kumar Singh, First Secretary of the Embassy of India.
According to information provided by the Indian Embassy in Nepal, the newly built Mangala Devi Singh Memorial Girls Hostel comprises 39 rooms along with essential infrastructure, including a kitchen, dining hall, storerooms, library, and a multipurpose hall. This project was completed under the ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ initiative, which aims to support high-impact community development projects (HICDPs) across Nepal.
Enhancing Educational Opportunities
The hostel's construction is a significant move to improve the living and learning conditions for students at Padmakanya Secondary School. By offering better residential facilities, the hostel aims to create an enriched learning environment that fosters academic growth and personal development among female students.
Speaking at the inauguration, Avinash Kumar Singh emphasized the significance of the project. "This infrastructure is not just a building; it represents our commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for the young women of Nepal. We believe that providing a conducive environment for learning is crucial for the overall development of students," he said.
Santosh Budathoki also highlighted the importance of such initiatives. "This project is a testament to the strong and enduring partnership between Nepal and India. It will greatly benefit the students and contribute to the educational landscape of our community," Budathoki remarked.
The girls' hostel project is part of a larger framework of India-Nepal cooperation, particularly in the field of community development. During Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Nepal, an agreement was signed to implement new terms for HICDPs, with an increased fund size of Rs 200 million per project, up from the previous Rs 50 million cap.
These projects are designed to support various sectors, including education, health, and cultural heritage. Since 2003, India has undertaken over 551 HICDPs in Nepal, with 490 projects already completed.
The concept of small development projects (SDPs), which later evolved into HICDPs, was initiated by India in the 2000s. These projects were aimed at fostering community-driven development, ensuring timely completion, and promoting a triangular partnership between communities, local governments, and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
A study by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) highlighted the program's evolution and its extension to other neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. The focus areas of these projects include education, health, and cultural heritage.
In Nepal, the implementation process involves local governments submitting proposals for funding to the Indian Embassy. These proposals are then reviewed and approved based on their alignment with community needs and development priorities.
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