Kathmandu: The Government of Japan has committed a grant of Japanese Yen 454 million (approximately Rs 423 million) to Nepal to support the implementation of the Human Resource Development Project for the fiscal year 2024-25.

The agreement was formalized today at a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance. Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire, Secretary at the Finance Ministry, and Kikuta Yutaka, Japan's Ambassador to Nepal, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

This funding is part of the Japanese Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Programme, which was initiated in Nepal in 2015 with Japan's support. The grant will fund scholarships for 22 Nepalese candidates, including 20 for a two-year Master's Degree and two for a three-year PhD course at various universities in Japan.

Since the inception of the JDS Programme, 127 Nepalese fellows, comprising 125 master's degree holders and two doctoral degree holders, have completed their studies in Japan and returned to Nepal. Currently, 35 students are pursuing master's degrees, and three are pursuing PhDs under the program.

During the ceremony, Secretary Dr. Ghimire emphasized that the scholarship program will enhance the capabilities of Nepal's civil service, thereby improving public service delivery. He also expressed hope that it would strengthen bilateral relations between Nepal and Japan.

Ambassador Kikuta shared his confidence that JDS graduates will make significant contributions to Nepal's development and further deepen the longstanding cooperation between the two nations.

The Government of Nepal expressed its sincere appreciation to Japan for its continuous and generous support in fostering the socio-economic and human resource development of the country.