July 7: The government has decided to accept grant of Rs 1.37 billion for the Sustainable WASH for All project.    
Organising a press conference at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on Tuesday to disclose the decisions of the cabinet meeting held on July 25, Communications Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki shared that the government whas decided to accept 10.5 million euros from the European Union for the drinking water project.    
The government has also decided to accept grant equivalent to Rs 950 million from the Swiss government for the implementation of quality technical and vocational education and training project in the first phase.    
The government also decided to form a high-level study and recommendation committee headed by the National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice-chair to furnish recommendation on immediate measures to be taken on management and reduction of import.    
Likewise, Nepal will be receiving a grant assistance of Japanese yen 376 million (approximately Rs 350 million) from Japan for implementation of the Human Resource Development (JDS) Project in the year 2022/23.    
The both parties signed and exchanged the notes in this regard amidst a programme at the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday.    
Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini and Charge d’affaires ad interim of Japan to Nepal Tamura Takahiro signed the documents on behalf of their respective governments.    
On the same occasion, grant agreement to this effect was signed by joint-secretary Ishwori Prasad Aryal of International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division under the Ministry of Finance and Tanaka Tomoko, senior representative of JICA Nepal, the Ministry of Finance said in a press statement.    
The Government of Japan has been providing such scholarship grant to the Government of Nepal in a phase-wise manner. Under the first phase of the project, 80 civil servants have already completed their Master’s Degree and returned home.    
This grant will be utilized to administer the scholarship programme, including for payment of the university tuition fee, living allowances, settlement allowances, insurances and other basic allowances as well as supply of educational materials for 22 candidates (20 for Master’s degree and 2 for PhD degree) to pursue their degrees in various universities in Japan.    
The scholarship provides opportunity of pursuing two years’ Master’s degree and three years PhD courses to young Nepalese civil servants who are academically sound and are motivated to be engaged in Nepal’s socio economic development after completion of their study in Japan. -- RSS