CONTEXT:

• India has built a 25-bed maternity hospital in Nepal. It has been built under the Government of India’s Small Development Projects Scheme.
• The Hospital will provide quality maternity and health careservices to the people of 50 Village Development Committees in and around Siraha district.
• The Hospital will be run by the Chandra Narayan Yadav Memorial Trust on no profit-no loss basis.

BACKGROUND

• Development assistance is a key instrument in India’s foreign policy.
• The focus of development assistance has been the countries in India’s neighbourhood and in Africa.
• Though India is focussing South East Asia, East and Central Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Pacific Island Countries, etc.