A newly-constructed double storey school building built with India's financial assistance of 8.97 million Nepalese rupees after it was damaged by the devastating 2015 earthquake in the country was inaugurated on Thursday in Nepal's Makwanpur district.

The building of Shree Bagmati Lower Secondary School in Makwanpur district was jointly inaugurated by Nitesh Kumar, Consul General, the Consulate General of India in Birgunj, and the District Coordination Committee, Makwanpur and School Management Committee and local representatives, the Indian embassy here said in a statement. The school has been built with India's financial assistance of 8.97 million Nepalese rupees (USD 76,347), it said.

Currently, a total 355 students are enrolled in the school located in Liti Khola at Phaparbari in Makwanpur district.

The Government of India grant, under the ‘Nepal-Bharat Development Cooperation', was utilised for constructing the double storey school building, including 10 class rooms, furniture and sanitation facilities, it said. The project was taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project under a bilateral agreement.

The building is constructed in a manner which is conducive to the school needs and will boost the learning environment for students.

“The Government of India's financial assistance for the construction of this school reflects the importance attached to enhancement of educational infrastructure by the Government of India and Nepal,” the statement said. The inauguration of the school is a milestone under various activities undertaken by the Government of India to celebrate 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' (India@75) commemorating 75 years of India's independence, it added.

The devastating earthquake, which struck the Himalayan nation in April 2015, claimed over 9,000 lives and damaged more than 800,000 houses and schools.