Two new education infrastructure projects funded by the Indian government were launched in Nepal's Sudurpaschim Province on 26 July 2025, with a college building inaugurated in Doti district and the foundation stone for a school building laid in Kanchanpur district, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed. Both projects were executed under India's High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) programme.

College Building Inaugurated in Doti

The newly constructed building of Kedar Surya Multiple Campus in Badikedar Rural Municipality, Doti district, was jointly inaugurated by Basist Nandan, First Secretary at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, and Bhairav Bahadur Saud, Chairperson of Badikedar Rural Municipality. The campus was formerly known as Shree Kedar Jyotipunja Multiple Campus and was renamed ahead of the inauguration.

The double-storey structure features seven rooms on each floor along with allied facilities. Affiliated with Tribhuvan University, the campus offers Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) and Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) programmes. The project was implemented through Badikedar Rural Municipality. Local stakeholders, including Rural Municipality Chairperson Saud and the campus management, appreciated India's development support and said the infrastructure would strengthen educational access in the region.

School Foundation Stone Laid in Kanchanpur

On the same day, the foundation stone for a new building at Shree Maheshwar Secondary School in Bhimdatt Municipality, Kanchanpur district, was jointly laid by First Secretary Nandan and Nilam Lekhak Joshi, Deputy Chief of Bhimdatt Municipality. The school building will be constructed with a financial outlay of approximately NPR 19 million from the Indian government under the HICDP programme, to be implemented through Bhimdatt Municipality.

According to the Embassy, this is the 11th HICDP project being undertaken in Kanchanpur district. Deputy Chief Joshi and local stakeholders said the new infrastructure would improve the learning environment for students and teachers in the municipality.

About the HICDP Programme

Launched in 2003 — previously known as Small Development Projects — the HICDP programme is a cornerstone of Nepal-India development cooperation, supporting small-scale infrastructure and community-based initiatives through local authorities. Priority sectors include health, education, drinking water, sanitation, rural electrification, hydropower, and river training.

Since inception, nearly 600 projects have been undertaken across all seven provinces and 74 districts of Nepal. In Sudurpaschim Province specifically, the Indian government has also gifted 78 ambulances and 40 school buses to health and education institutions, including nine ambulances and three school buses in Doti district alone, according to the Embassy.

Broader India-Nepal Development Ties

The Embassy described the HICDP programme as a reflection of the continuing development partnership between the two neighbours, underscoring India's role in supporting Nepal's socio-economic development at the grassroots level. This comes amid sustained engagement between New Delhi and Kathmandu across connectivity, energy, and infrastructure sectors. The dual launch in Sudurpaschim — a province that has historically lagged on development indicators — signals a continued focus on reaching Nepal's more remote western regions.

With nearly 600 HICDP projects now completed or underway, the next phase of the programme is expected to deepen its footprint in priority districts as both governments push to accelerate cross-border development outcomes.