Kathmandu, August 3
The Government of Nepal on Thursday decided to accept a grant of Rs 51.38 billion from Millennium Challenge Corporation of the United States government.
According to an agreement held between two countries, the grant must be spent within five years. Otherwise, it should be returned.
Nepal plans to invest the money in improvement of various roads and extension of electricity transmission lines.
Nepal will construct a 300-kilometre 400-KV transmission line, which will be the first of its kind in the country, according to Tulasi Sitaula, National Coordinator of Office of Millennium Challenge Nepal.
Likewise, transmission lines will also be constructed along Lapsephedi-Galchhi, Galchhi-Damauli, Galchhi-Hetaunda and Damauli-Sunawal. Various substations will be built at many other places.
These transmission lines are expected to facilitate import and export of hydropower.
Likewise, the MCC grant will be spent in five road projects. Hetaunda-Bhimphedi, Dharan-Basantapur, Kadamaha-Gaighat and Ameliya-Dhankhola roads as well as one in Tapljung district will be upgraded. These roads cover a stretch of around 300 kilometres in total.
The actual works, however, would begin only after around 15 months as the government is yet to begin preparatory tasks including land acquisition, says Sitaula.
