By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Mar. 9: Minister of Education, Science and Technology Krishna Gopal Shrestha Monday laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of Shree Bishnu Devi Secondary School at Chandragiri Municipality, in Kathmandu district.
It is the 68th school being reconstructed under the Government of India grant assistance in the education sector, according to the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
Dr. Praphullachandra Sharma, Head of Reconstruction and Development Cooperation wing of the Embassy of India, Mayor of Chandragiri Municipality Ghanashyam Giri, Project Director of Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU) of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) of Government of Nepal, officials from Embassy of India, representatives of the School Management Committee, local community members and students of the school were present at the programme. Earthquake-resident building of the school is being reconstructed at a cost of Rs. 64.9 million.
The new infrastructure will include three blocks -- educational block, administrative block and Lab and Library block -- which house 13 classrooms, exam halls, lab rooms, computer rooms, library, room for School Management Committee, administrative rooms and separate sanitation facilities for boys and girls, reads the statement issued by the embassy.
The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, a premier institute in India in the field earthquake-resilient reconstruction, will provide technical support for the reconstruction.
India has committed USD 50 million (approximately NRs. 5800 million) for the reconstruction of a total of 71 educational institutions across eight districts of Nepal razed by 2015 earthquake.
Additionally, the country has pledged a reconstruction grant of USD 200 million for the reconstruction projects in Housing, Health and Cultural Heritage Sectors. Presently, some 47,000 houses have already been rebuilt in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts under owner-driven model.
In total, 147 health buildings and restoration/retrofitting of 28 cultural heritage sites in 11 quake-affected districts of Nepal have been rebuilt under Indian reconstruction grant, according to that statement.