India to rebuild schools in Nepal despite differences

India on Monday pledged to re-build 56 schools in Nepal, signaling that it would continue to support development projects in the neighbouring country, notwithstanding the recent move by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s government in Kathmandu to ratchet up the dispute over the boundary between the two nations.

New Delhi is in no hurry to schedule talks with Kathmandu on boundary dispute, even as Oli’s Government is moving fast to grant statutory approval to the new map, which it recently released showing the areas claimed by India as part of the territory of Nepal. The lower house of Nepalese Parliament – House of Representatives – is likely to discuss on Tuesday a Bill to amend the Constitution of Nepal to endorse the map. The Bill may even get passed, as the main opposition Nepali Congress decided to join the ruling Nepal Communist Party to support it.

A day before the Bill is likely to be discussed in Nepalese Parliament; New Delhi committed itself to rebuild 56 higher secondary schools in the neighbouring country, which had been devastated by an earthquake in April 2015.

India pledged to spend at least Rs 1.84 crore to reconstruct the schools in Gurkha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Dolakha, Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap and Sindhupalchok districts of Nepal. The Embassy of India in Kathmandu on Tuesday inked seven MoUs with the Central Level Project Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Education of the Nepalese Government.

India went ahead to rebuild the schools to signal its intent to continue supporting reconstruction and infrastructure in Nepal, notwithstanding the boundary row.

India had in June 2015 announced an economic package of USD One Billion – 25 per cent grant and 75 per cent Line of Credit – for the reconstruction of quake-ravaged Nepal and since supported several projects to rebuild infrastructure in the neighbouring country.

“We are aware that efforts are being made to drive a wedge between India and Nepal. But we will continue to support our neighbour in rebuild its infrastructure,” a source in New Delhi told the DH. India, however, is unlikely to schedule talks with Nepal to settle the boundary dispute unless the Oli Government did not create “positive and conducive atmosphere” for such engagements.

New Delhi suspects that Nepal of late raised its pitch on its bilateral boundary dispute with India, after being nudged by China.

The new map of Nepal published by the Ministry of Land Management of the Nepalese Government on May 20 included Lipulekh Pass, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura – the areas New Delhi claims to be part of the territory of India.

Oli’s cabinet had on May 19 decided to publish the new political and administrative map of Nepal, in order to re-assert its claim on the disputed areas. The move was in response to construction of a strategic road by India from Dharchula in its Uttarakhand State to Lipulekh Pass near its disputed boundary with China.

The Bill to amend the Constitution to endorse the Bill was introduced in the lower house of Nepalese Parliament on May 31.