India has provided Rs 24.31 million for the construction of a bridge over the Bagmati River in Rautahat district.

“Government of India has sanctioned assistance of NRs 24312047 for the bridge. An agreement was signed on March 16, 2006 between the Embassy of India and District Development Committee, Rautahat, laying down the modalities of providing Indian assistance for this project,” a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said Thursday.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee laid the foundation stone for the construction of the bridge on Thursday, according to the Embassy.

A Monitoring Committee has been constituted consisting of members of the Department of Roads, Chief District Technical Officer and Planning and Administrative Officer, Rautahat, to supervise the construction and ensure proper utilisation of the grant assistance.

The implementation of the project would go a long way in improving the infrastructure & increasing trade and people-to-people movement and their interaction, benefiting around 300 thousand residents living in 41 VDCs in Nepal, the statement said.

It further said, “Government of India is committed to such economic cooperation for in the area of infrastructure, health and education, to assist the Government and people of Nepal in the immediate and enormous task of the economic recovery of Nepal.”

It is part of the Indian government’s commitment of Rs 18 billion towards economic cooperation with Government of Nepal, under which 137 projects in 61 districts are being undertaken.