Rural Access Program, funded by Britain´s Department for International Development (DFID), has constructed around 700 kilometers of road in many rural districts in the first phase and the construction of additional 365 kilometers is planned in the second phase. The project constructed rural roads in Doti, Achham and Dailekh in far-western region and Sankhuwasabha, Khotang, Bhojpur and Tehrathum in eastern region. [break]
At a program organized in Washington DC recently, secretary at the Ministry of Local Development Shyam Mainali said global honor for the project has proved that the project has become successful in lowering poverty and expanding infrastructure though mass participation.
"The project has played an important role in generating employment and raising livelihood of rural population," Mainali said.
The British development agency had extended financial assistance worth 36 million Pound for the first phase, while it has extended another 17 million Pound for the second phase. Altogether 47,000 local people were mobilized during the construction of the first phase.
According to Mainali, the project was able to generate many positive results in the local community, like school enrollment rate went up to 92 percent from 72 percent in the affected areas after the completion of the project. Likewise, the number of people migrating for reasonable jobs in India also declined by 5 percent while prices of essential commodities went down by up to 46 percent.
Similarly, long-running practices like taking loans from local lenders also saw a remarkable decline of over 70 percent and the extension of loans made through local co-operatives increased by 45 percent.
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