Rs.600mn Indo-Lanka Community Development Project Agreement renewed

Sri Lanka and India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) this week for high impact community development projects implemented in the country, at a cost of over Rs.600 million, under an Indian aid grant for next five years.

The agreement was signed by Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay, in the presence of Finance Minister and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Tuesday, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Wijerama.

This agreement was initially signed during the tenure of the current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency in 2005 and it is extended every 
five years.

The cost of special development projects related to this agreement exceeds Rs.300 million and the activities of the Emergency Hospital Care Ambulance Service, Housing Projects and New Jaffna Cultural Centre, are being implemented through it.

A maximum of Rs.300 million will be spent on small development projects, including resettlement, accommodation, livelihoods, employment, women empowerment, vocational training, education and research, cultural activities, sports, industrial development, medical centre and hospital infrastructure development and the supply of medical equipment implemented under it.

These projects, which are currently in operation, will continue in accordance with the new agreement. Over 60 projects worth Rs.20 billion have been completed under previous such MoUs in health, education, water, sanitation, agriculture and other areas, according to the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka.