Seven Indian demining teams deployed since 2009 have successfully created vast areas and are among the few teams doing manual demining (US$ 10 million) The Second Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment camp, fully funded by Government of India, was organized in Jaffna and provided services to 1163 beneficiaries in all.
ASSISTANCE IN THE KNOWLEDGE INITIATIVE Establishment of Nenasalas (e-learning centres) 20 Nenasalas set up in Western and Southern Sri Lanka – completed in 2007-08; 20 Nenasalas set up in Eastern Province in 2009-10. (cost – SLR 30 million). Digital language laboratory set up at the Centre of English Language and Training (CELT) at Peradeniya. India provided services of the English and Foreign Language University (EFLU), Hyderabad to serve as the Technical Consultant. Vocational Training : Rural Vocational Training Centres (VTC) at Hatton and Putallam have been set up. Plans to set up additional VTCs are being considered. Particular
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emphasis will be laid on construction trades such as plumbing, carpentry, masonry, etc., and on agriculture. Modules for training in the field of ICT will also be included. Renovation of 79 Schools in Northern Province: 79 schools in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya are being renovated under an Indian grant assistance of SLR 188 million. One of the completed schools was handed over by the Indian External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna during his visit to Kilinochchi on 18th January 2012.
PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY INDIA IN 2012 UNDER GRANT ASSISTANCE • Construction of 49,000 houses for IDPs and vulnerable sections across four Provinces of Sri Lanka at an estimated US $ 263 million • Setting up English Language Laboratories in each of the nine Provinces of Sri Lanka • Construction of a Cultural Centre at Jaffna • Setting up 79 Child Development Centers (crèches) for plantation workers of Central Province • Setting up of Handicraft Villages at Hambantota and Jaffna to help traditional handicraftsmen • Construction of 200 bed ward complex at Government Hospital in Vavuniya • Construction of a Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Centre at Matale • Assistance for setting up of Fishing Net factory at Jaffna • Assistance for small business ventures in Mullaiteevu and Kilinochchi districts • Technical assistance for a Project to convert Sri Lanka into a Trilingual Society by 2020 • Construction of five Vocational Training Centres at Trincomalee, Jaffna and Vavuniya districts Further details at: www.hcicolombo.org or www.facebook.com/hcicolombo
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Year 2011 was a time of impressive developments in virtually all aspects of India’s relations with Sri Lanka, whether it be political, trade, investment and tourism, education and culture, developmental partnership or defence and security. India was the largest trading partner of Sri Lanka within over 70% growth in bilateral trade and trade reaching US$ 5 billion. India was a leading investor in Sri Lanka bringing in FDI over US$ 100 million. India was also the source of the largest number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. Indian Developmental assistance projects are entirely based on the priorities set by the Government and people of Sri Lanka and are being implemented in a smooth and timely manner. Indian Housing Project During the recent visit of India’s External Affairs Minister, an MoU was signed with the Government of Sri Lanka for the implementation of the next phase of the Housing
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Project for construction of 49,000 houses under grant assistance of about USD 260 million. The pilot phase of the Project for construction of 1000 houses is in advanced stages of completion and houses are being handed over to beneficiaries. Given its scale, the Housing Project is truly the flagship project of India’s developmental partnership with Sri Lanka. It will involve re-construction of 38000 houses and repair of 5000 houses under the owner-driven model for IDPs and construction of remaining houses under the agency-driven model.
During the recent visit of External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna, medical equipment was handed over for the hospital at Kilinochchi. The total cost of equipment including the that earlier provided to the hospital at Mullaitivu amounted to SLR 117 million. India had earlier provided medical equipment to Jaffna Teaching Hospital
The Galle-Hikkaduwa railway track, which is a part of the reconstruction of the Southern railway coastal project was handed over by EAM Krishna on 19 Jan 2012. Phase-One of this Project, comprising the GalleMatara Section, was completed in February 2011. This project is being carried out under a line of credit of USD 167.4 million
A 150 bed hospital at Dickoya near Hatton in the Central Province is being built under the grant assistance of the Government of India at an estimated cost of SLR 1200 million. The construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2012.
The railway rehabilitation project in the North (OmanthaiPallai, Medawchchiya - Madhu, Madhu - Talaimannar and Pallai – KKS sectors) under the Indian lines of credit of USD 800 million was inaugurated by EAM Krishna in Nov 2010 and is expected to be complete on schedule by December 2013. The Joint Venture Agreement for the 500 MW Sampur coal power plant, the largest such initiative between the two countries so far, was signed recently and the plant is expected to come on-stream by mid-2016. The Hon’ble Minister also announced the completion of wreck removal at the Kankesanthurai Harbour (USD 19 million). India will be undertaking construction of the Jaffna Cultural Centre for which a National Design competition was held. The design of Architect Madura Prematilake has been selected. The Centre when completed will be an architectural landmark and a cultural icon.
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External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna during his visit to Jaffna on 18th January 2012 handed over some bicycles to IDPs under the Indian initiative to distribute 10,000 bicycles in the Northern Province (at a cost of SLR 67 million) India is also undertaking the rehabilitation of Atchchuvely Industrial Zone to create employment opportunities in the Northern Province and to provide a platform for industrial development of Jaffna. EAM Krishna also expressed India’s willingness to assist the Government of Sri Lanka in developing Palaly as a civilian airport.
10 buses were gifted to Eastern Provincial Council at a cost of SLR 17 million. These buses are used to ferry school children and for medical services. More buses are to be gifted to educational, social and local governmental entities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. A fleet of 85 buses also gifted to upcountry areas with an aim to connect remote areas. Major Expansion in the Schols offered by India A nearly three-fold increase in scholarship support to deserving Sri Lankan students, with a grant assistance of SLR 2.5 billion was announced during the recent visit of the Minister of External Affairs. This important initiative will further strengthen the bilateral knowledge partnership.
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY INDIA An EMERGENCY HOSPITAL was set up in Pulmoddai and Vavuniya (Menik Farm – Zone I) from March to September 2009, which treated about 50,000 patients and carried out 3000 major and minor surgeries. Supply of Cement Bags 400,000 cement bags supplied in 2010 to resettling families (US$ 1.75 million) Shelter Material for IDPs India supplied 10,400 MT of Galavanized iron corrugated sheets as shelter material helping about 65,000 families (US$ 11.78 milion)
500 Tractors with the requisite accessories worth USD 6 million were delivered to aid farming in the Northern areas in NovDec 2010.
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