Two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed on 5 December by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu with Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS) for providing grant assistance of Nepali Rs 4.42 crores to NNJS for eye care programme in various districts of Nepal during the year 2011-2012.

The MoU will cover the cost of conducting over 15,000 cataract surgeries and provide over 9,300 optical devices to vision impaired children through mobile screening camps to be held in various schools of Nepal as a ‘National Eye Sight Programme’. India will provide additional assistance of Nepali Rs 0.18 crores to the NNJS for conducting 1,000 trachoma surgeries during the year 2011-2012.

India’s assistance to NNJS is part of the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme, which has an outlay of over Nepali Rs 6,000 crores with more than 400 large and small projects currently being implemented in all districts of Nepal in the fields of education, health and infrastructure/community development.