Kathmandu, Mar 31 (PTI) USAID, an independent federal agency of the US government, joined hands with Nepal on Friday to launch an ambitious USD 20 million programme spanning five years to bolster the public financial management institutions in the country's Madhes and Lumbini provinces.

US Ambassador to Nepal Dean Thompson, USAID/Nepal Mission Director Sepideh Kevyanshad and Madhesh Province chief minister Saroj Kumar Yadav were present at the launch.

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"The five-year programme will reinforce public financial management at the federal, provincial and local levels of governments in southern Nepal's Madhesh and Lumbini provinces," a press release issued by US Embassy here said.

The Madhesi community in Nepal's southern Terai region is mostly of Indian origin.

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“Through this activity, USAID and the Nepal government will partner to strengthen and advance national public financial management institutions and systems," it said.

This partnership between USAID and the Nepal government builds on the more than 75 years of friendship and bilateral ties between the two countries, according to the press release.

"It supports Nepal in making fiscal federalism work for the people, focusing on inclusion of women and other marginalised populations,” it said.

“Democracy flourishes when leaders are accountable to citizens, and when citizens understand the mission and boundaries of their respective leaders. Transparency and understanding how a community's money is collected, invested and spent is critical to the sound functioning of a democratic society,” Ambassador Thompson said.

Deloitte and WSP, along with Georgia State University and the Niti Foundation, will jointly implement this programme in Nepal, the press release added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)