Kathmandu: Nepal and India held the fifth meeting of the Joint Project Monitoring Committee (JPMC) to review the progress of post-earthquake reconstruction projects on Monday. After the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal, India had committed US$ 250 million grant assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction in Nepal. The grant was allocated in 4 different sectors—housing, education, health and cultural heritage. A JPMC mechanism was set up in August 2017 to monitor the progress of these projects.
The fifth JPMC meeting was participated in by Munu Mahawar, Additional Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India from Indian side and Padma Kumar Mainalee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development from Nepali side.
The meeting was also attended by several other representatives of the governments of India and Nepal, consultant and other stakeholders engaged in implementation of the projects.
The meeting carried out a comprehensive review of the progress of India assisted post-earthquake reconstruction projects, the Indian embassy said. The meeting acknowledged the successful completion of the projects agreed under the housing sector in 2021 and the education sector in 2024.
In health and cultural heritage sectors, both sides expressed satisfaction on the progress achieved and agreed to expedite the early completion of projects under these sectors.
Since the last JPMC meeting in October 2023, government of India has handed over 26 projects in the education sector including Tribhuvan University Central Library in Kathmandu, 32 projects in the health sector and three projects in the cultural heritage sector. In addition, 43 projects in the health sector and nine projects in the cultural heritage sector have also been completed during this period.
Both sides appreciated the positive socio-economic impact of the reconstruction projects, particularly in employment generation and extension of health and education facilities in remote areas, the embassy said. Both sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the JPMC on a mutually convenient date.
Comment