India doubles plantation sector education fund to Rs. 600 million

By Nuzla Rizkiya 

Colombo, July 30 (Daily Mirror) - India has agreed to double its grant for a project aimed at upgrading educational infrastructure in schools within the plantation sector.

The Indian government increased the fund from Rs. 300 million to Rs. 600 million, considering the rising prices and the crisis that existed in Sri Lanka,  the Department of Government Information said yesterday. 

The Cabinet of Ministers this week approved a proposal presented by the Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha to formalize the documents and secure the increased grant. 

The funding will be used for an upgrade project which will improve the infrastructure facilities of nine plantation sector schools identified by the government.  

This includes six schools in the Central Province and one school each in the Uva, Sabaragamuwa and Southern Provinces, according to the High Commission of India. 

Plans to implement the project were initially set in motion way back in 2019, with the Cabinet of Ministers of the then government approving its implementation in June that year.  

A Memorandum of Understanding for the project was also exchanged between the Acting High Commissioner of India and the Secretary to the Ministry of Education on February 20, 2020.