Switzerland has provide grants for technical assistance of over 9.9 million Swiss Francs (Rs 1.1 billion) to Nepal for Trail Bridge Sub-sector Support Program Phase IV and over 5.8 million Swiss Frances (Rs 580 million) for river protection works in Chitwan.

Jean François Cuénod, Chargé d´ Affaires at the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal and Madhu Marasini, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance signed the agreements on Tuesday.

According to a press statement issued by the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal, more than 5,500 trail bridges have been built in the past 40 years through the Swiss support.

To assist Nepal to build 2,500 new trail bridges and help maintain existing 5,500 trail bridges annually till July 2019, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom are expected to contribute around US$ 100 million in five years in addition to the Swiss grant.

"With an expanded scope to improve agricultural livelihoods and food security, River Protection Works in Chitwan Phase I was implemented from April 2011 to March 2014, which resulted in the protection of lives from flood and other disaster and hence the Swiss government has provided a new support for river protection works envisioned upon the past successes of works carried out in Eastern Chitwan," the statement added.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, through the Department of Local Infrastructures Development and Agricultural Roads (DoLIDAR), will execute and monitor both programs in close coordination with the respective District Development Committees, according to the statement.