Maniram Gelal, Secretary of, National Reconstruction Authority, performed Bhomipooja for the construction of Shree Harisiddhi Secondary School at Roshi Rural Municipality and Shree Siddheshower Secondary School at Mahabharat Rural Municipality.

Soumya C, First Secretary (Political) Embassy of India, and mayor of the Roshi Rural Municipality were also present on the occasion.

The Shree Harisiddhi Secondary School is being reconstructed at a cost of NRs 28.4 million and Shree Siddheshower Secondary school is being reconstructed at a cost of NRs 39.6 million.

According to a press release issued by the Embassy of India, these schools will be built as per earthquake-resilient reconstruction norms of the Government of Nepal. The new infrastructure of Harisiddhi Secondary School will include a single 3 storied blocks with 9 classrooms, a lab room, a library and a separate block for sanitation facilities. Similarly, the new infrastructure of Shree Harisiddhi Secondary School will include single 3 storied blocks having 13 classrooms, account section, principal and teachers’ room, exam room, Early Childhood Development (ECD) room, admin room, School Management Committee room and separate sanitation facilities for boys and girls.

The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, a premier institute in India in the field of earthquake-resilient reconstruction, will provide technical hand-holding for the construction of these schools.

India has committed US $ 50 million, approximately NRs 5800 million, for the reconstruction of total 71 educational institutions across eight districts of Nepal affected by the 2015 earthquake. With today’s groundbreaking ceremony, the construction of 70 schools has started, of which, 8 schools are already handed over to School Management Committees.

India has also committed a reconstruction grant of US $ 200 million (for reconstruction projects in Housing, Health and Cultural Heritage Sectors. Presently, nearly 47,000 houses out of 50,000, under the owner-driven model, have already been completed in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts and work on the remaining houses is underway. NRA and the respective Municipal authorities have requested the beneficiaries complete the reconstruction before the Monsoon rains.

There are a total of 147 health buildings and restoration/retrofitting of 28 cultural heritage sites in total 11 districts of Nepal affected by the earthquake of 2015 under the Indian reconstruction grant. Works on both these sectors have started. Both the NRA of Nepal and the Embassy have been working closely to complete the reconstruction projects at the earliest.