KATHMANDU (Xinhua) -- With a fresh grant commitment of 100 million U.S. dollars from the World Bank, the Nepali government is mulling the extension of its poverty alleviation program to 55 districts from the current 25 districts.

"We are developing a long-term plan and working to expand the program in additional 30 districts," Ram Prakash Yadav, vice chairman of the Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) was quoted by The Kathmandu Post as saying on Wednesday.

He said PAF's latest action plan was to run poverty reduction programs in 55 districts in a full-fledged manner, and later extend its reach in the remaining 20 districts with pocket-wise development approach.

Currently, PAF has reached over 100,000 poor households and excluded communities in 25 districts, in income generation and supporting infrastructure development programs, according to the daily.

Although PAF would need billions of rupees to materialize its vision plan, Yadav said the World Bank, which has tagged PAF as one of its best portfolios for Nepal, has extended commitment to help.

"The commitment for 100 million dollars has been categorically included in the Interim Strategic Plan of the WB, which it unveiled recently," said Yadav.

He added that the PAF has already developed a framework plan, and reviewed existing institutional, technical and financial bases as groundwork for the extension of its programs.

Moreover, PAF has pushed the government to appoint a board of members, which at present remains vacant for over a year.