

KOTTAYAM: Education is getting little support from the government sector in Nepal which is a major disadvantage in promoting literacy, Nepal’s first Catholic bishop Antony Francis Sharma, who is on a private visit to the state, has said.
There is a situation that those engaged in promoting literacy have to generate funds themselves for meeting various expenses, Sharma told ‘Express’ in Pala.The Church is fully geared up to meeting the challenges of educating people and bring them to the mainstream which is helping in a big way in countering extremism, he said. The changing political situations had not affected the Church’s activities inany way, the bishop said.He said that spreading education would do good to the country in the long run.
The people belonging to the Hindu community of Nepal are very religious.
The Church has no agenda of forcing any religion on anyone, Sharma, who belonged to Hindu community and had embraced Christianity many years ago, said. The missionary is also widely engaged in offering help in the health sector, he said. Sharma is the head of the Apostolic Vicariate similar to the diocese.
The Church is engaged in delivering healthcare through mobile health units.The activities of the Church had never encountered any opposition of hurdles in the country.
There is no problem from the government headed by Baburam Bhattarai belonging to the Maoist group.