India to develop school infrastructure in Nepal’s earthquake-affected regions

India has pledged Nepali Rupees 560.2 million for the construction of 14 schools in eight earthquake-affected districts of Nepal, PTI reported, reiterating its commitment to the country’s post-disaster reconstruction and socio-economic development. The schools will be built in Gorkha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Dolakha, Kathmandu, Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap, and Sindhupalchok districts, among the areas worst affected by the earthquake.In April 2015, Nepal was struck by a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake centred in Gorkha, which claimed nearly 9,000 lives and left homes, buildings, roads and schools in ruins. A month later, another 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit the country, with its epicentre along the Dolakha-Sindhupalchowk border.

The Central Level Project Implementation Unit-Education under Nepal’s Ministry of Education and Sports signed agreements for the construction of the schools under a Government of India grant. The schools will be built in line with the Government of Nepal’s norms for earthquake-resilient infrastructure. The grant will also cover classrooms, furniture, textbooks, and separate sanitation facilities for boys and girls.
India has undertaken similar initiatives in the past. In January 2024, it completed and handed over 70 schools across eight districts, along with the Tribhuvan University Central Library in Kathmandu, to the Nepal government under its post-earthquake reconstruction grant.The Indian government said it remains committed to continued collaboration with Nepal and its agencies in advancing the country’s socio-economic development, including support for post-earthquake reconstruction projects.

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