Japan supports library construction in Sunsari

Japan has assisted construction of an earthquake-resistant library as part of a project under the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects schemes.

The project is being implemented by Japanese NGO Shanti Volunteer Association, according to a press note issued by the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu.

Japanese ambassador to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka today attended the ceremony to inaugurate Sunaulo Library in Sunsari district, the press note reads, adding that the library was damaged by the 2015 earthquake and was no longer accessible. "The project aims at improving services provided by community libraries and learning centers, and supporting the construction of a total of four libraries and learning centers, including the Sunaulo Library."

The library will not only operate as a library, but also be equipped with rooms for children and women, a computer room, and a meeting room, where various programmes like reading promotion activities for children, empowerment of women and youths, and activities to improve the lives of people in the community, will be implemented.

During the inauguration programme, ambassador Kikuta expressed his hope that the library will become a community asset that contributes to the development of the region and that the library will be further developed by community and local government.

He also mentioned that this year marks the 120th anniversary since Nepal dispatched its first eight students to Japan for study and that he was delighted to see the completion of the library construction in this celebratory year.

Planning commission finalises 654 projects to receive special grants

National Planning Commission (NPC) has finalised the list of some 654 projects that will get special grants for the current fiscal year, though half the fiscal year has already passed.
The commission has segregated the projects and programmes for the provincial governments and local governments according to their demands and requirements, the planning commission vice chair Dr Puspa Raj Kadel conformed. The delay in finalising the projects is attributed to the inability of provincial and local governments to submit their projects earlier as per the procedure developed by the commission, he said, adding that the government had – on December 11, 2018 – developed the ‘Procedure for Special Grants’ with necessary provisions regarding the grants to be provided to projects or programmes run by the provincial or local levels. “Of the total 753 local bodies, some 149 were deemed ineligible for the special grants as they did not fulfil the criteria set in the procedure.”
The commission has finalised 50 projects and programmes for seven provincial governments and 604 projects and programmes for the local governments. “While the local governments had requested special grants of Rs 12.50 billion, they were allocated Rs 4.83 billion, and the provinces had sought special grants worth Rs 22.56 billion but were allocated only Rs 4.60 billion.”
Of the total 50 projects, the commission has allocated special grants for nine projects in Province 1, seven projects in Province 2, five projects in Province 3, four projects in Gandaki Province, six projects in Province 5, some 11 projects in Karnali Province and eights projects in Sudur Paschim Province, the commission confirmed, adding that it will soon call on the provinces and local levels to submit their proposed projects and programmes for the special grants for the next fiscal year to ensure its timely execution from next fiscal year.
“No provincial or local levels shall be allowed to use the special grants in projects or programmes operated with equalisation, conditional and complementary grants or its own resources,” according to the ‘Procedure for Special Grants’.
The federal government can provide special grants for any project or programme to be run by the provincial or local governments for educational development of areas with low literary rate, lacking basic health services, sanitation, water supply and for uplift of groups or communities, equitable economic and social development, according to the federal government’s planning agency.
According to the procedure, special grants may also be provided to maintain balance among the local levels or provinces in terms of physical and human development, ensure food security in the areas with low food production, and manage waste by using modern technologies.

Government, World Bank launch new project to scale up renewable energy options

The government and the World Bank signed an agreement today to scale up renewable energy options in selected regions of Nepal in partnership with private sector. The agreement was signed by joint secretary at the Finance Ministry Shree Krishna Nepal and acting country manager Bigyan Pradhan on behalf of their respective institutions.
Total of $17.21 million will be spent during four-year period of the Private Sector-Led Mini-Grid Energy Access Project, of which the World Bank will finance total of $7.61 million (approximately Rs 845.2 million) through its Strategic Climate Fund (SCF) comprising of SCF Grant of $5.61 million and SCF soft loan of $2 million. Similarly, the government will contribute subsidy of $6 million and the remaining $3.60 million will be contributed by the private sector. The project will provide renewable energy to 126,000 rural people and support more than 80 businesses through micro/mini-hydro and solar subprojects in Nepal’s rural areas. The project will be implemented by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), the government's nodal agency for renewable energy promotion in Nepal.
"We are thankful for the support of the World Bank in launching this milestone project to encourage commercial financing of renewable and off-grid energy systems in Nepal," Nepal said, adding that the project will demonstrate that the private sector led model is feasible in mini-grid development and the government is committed to engage private sector in development.
Under the Project, private entities and cooperatives will be mobilised to provide electricity services to rural areas as 'energy service companies' (ESCOs). These specialised ESCOs will crowd-in financing capacity to develop, build, own and operate renewable mini-grid projects. The commercial banks are a key partner who will assume credit risk of the subproject loans to ESCOs once they are eligible and selected to participate in the project by AEPC. The credit facility component of the project is in turn supported by a technical assistance component for stronger project development support to the mini-grid sector, ESCOs and partner banks to ensure sustainable implementation beyond the life of the project.
"Maximizing finance for development is an important element in Nepal’s growth trajectory,” said World Bank acting country manager for Nepal Bigyan Pradhan. "By encouraging the participation of the private sector, this project motivates a business approach to improve energy access while supporting the government’s efforts to provide clean and efficient energy options to rural communities," he added.
The government accords high priority on the renewable energy sector and the World Bank Group supports the government’s energy sector through investments in both grid and off-grid energy and energy efficiency programmes.
This project aims to support more than 25 mini-grid subprojects and add new generation capacity of 3.8 MW, while rehabilitating and restoring the capacity of existing mini-grids.
The improved policy environment through the government’s Renewable Energy Subsidy Policy 2016 and the effective implementation of this project are expected to create opportunities for this model to succeed in providing energy access to Nepal’s rural areas.