The Government of India handed over a Cheque of Rs 1.6 billion for Small Development Projects (SDPs) to the Bhutanese government today. It has committed Rs seven billion to assist about 1,900 SDPs in the current 10th five year plan. This is the second release to assist over 800 projects.
The Cheque was handed over by the Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Pavan K. Varma to the Finance Minister, Wangdi Norbu.
SDPs is the Indian government’s assistance to finance rural projects, such as safe drinking water schemes, irrigation, farm roads and other infrastructures.
With today’s release, the Bhutanese government has received over Rs 4.2 billion Rupees. The Indian Ambassador said so far with the help of the assistance 1,000 projects have been completed and others are at advanced stage of completion.
Small Development Projects are based on the local government priorities in the 10th Five Year Plan, which is mainly focused on poverty reduction.
The government targets to bring down rural poverty rate to 15 percent by the end of 10th FYP, which will be completed in 2013.
