BUDGET 2024-25: Rs 5 cr aid for Nepal monastery bordering Tibet, Kabul school

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, July 23

The Union Budget 2024-25 has allocated Rs 5,667 crore as development aid in neighbouring countries, including a school in Kabul, a building for monastery in Mustang area of Nepal abutting Tibet and continued funding for the Chabahar port in Iran.

A sum of Rs 2.10 crore has been proposed for the construction of a monastery building for Shree Pal Evam, Namgyal Monastic Choonup, Mustang near Tibet border in Nepal. Historically, the 1959 uprising in Tibet was launched from Mustang by armed Tibetan volunteers trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), say the CIA declassified papers.

An amount of Rs 5 crore will be spent on constructing Habibia School in Kabul. The allocation for Chabahar port has also been maintained at Rs 100 crore. The port in Iran is vital for trade with Central Asian countries.

In Bangladesh, computer and language labs will be constructed in 509 schools. Supply of equipment, courseware and reference books and training for Bangladesh Bharot Digital Service and Employment Training (BDSET) Centre will be covered under another project.

A total of 50 schools will be made in Myanmar.

Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Mongolia, Seychelles, Mauritius, African and Latin American countries are among the countries to get funds and Bhutan would get the most (Rs 2,068 crore).

During the March 22-23 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bhutan this year, a development support of Rs 10,000 crore was announced for the nation’s 13th five-year plan.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was in Bhutan (July 19-20) where he met his counterpart Aum Pema Choden. They held the 3rd India-Bhutan development cooperation talks. The first tranche of projects to be implemented would be Rs 4,958 crore, covering sectors such as connectivity, infrastructure, energy, skill development, education, health, cultural heritage, capacity building, industrial parks, sports, youth exchanges, digital economy, e-mobility and space technology.