Kathmandu,On 06 March 2019, the Embassy of India, Kathmandu signed an Agreement with the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, India for post-earthquake reconstruction of 72 educational facilities in Nepal. The Agreement was signed by Dr. Ajay Kumar, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kathmandu, on behalf of the Government of India, and by Dr. Purnima Parida, Group Leader, Planning & Business Development Group, CBRI, Roorkee. Mr. Sushil Gyewali, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) of Nepal and Shri Manjeev Singh Puri, Ambassador of India to Nepal graced the occasion. 

2. The CBRI will provide Design and Project Management Consultancy services for reconstruction of 70 higher secondary schools in seven districts (Gorkha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Dolakha, Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap and Sindhpalchowk) as well as the Central Library of Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu and the National Library in Patan, Lalitpur. The CBRI will work with the Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU) of the Ministry of Education of Nepal to reconstruct/retrofit educational facilities as per the Government of Nepal’s guidelines on disaster-resilient reconstruction.

3. Separately, Ms. Shuchita Kishore, Head of Reconstruction Wing of the Embassy of India and Mr. Ima Narayan Shrestha, Project Director, CLPIU (Education) signed separate project specific MoUs, laying out the implementation modalities for reconstruction of eight schools in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts. 

4. The CBRI, Roorkee, a premier National Laboratory under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), is a pioneer in India for research in the field of shelter planning, building materials, structures, foundations and disaster mitigation.