Promoting Buddhist affairs, building homes; Indian FM's visit seals many projects

India has offered further assistance to Sri Lanka, including a project to construct 10,000 houses in the plantation sector, during the recent visit of Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Among the other financial grants are the immediate rollout of USD 15 million for the promotion of Buddhist affairs, USD 10 million for solar electrification of places of worship across Sri Lanka and the supply of school bags and books to 10,000 students.

During the Indian Finance Minister's threeday visit, she together with President Ranil Wickremesinghe virtually launched the fourth phase of the flagship Indian Housing Project (IHP) to construct 10,000 houses for plantation workers.

This was an extension of the project under which 50,000 houses have been completed.

In addition, President Wickremesinghe and Ms. Sitharaman inaugurated the upgraded Thondaman Vocational Training Centre in Hatton.

Finance Minister Sitharaman headed a five-member delegation consisting of senior representatives of leading industry organisations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian chambers of Commerce (FICII).

The Indian Finance Minister who came to Sri Lanka on November 1, was Chief Guest at Naam 200 which marked the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Indian-origin Tamils to Sri Lanka.

She also held discussions with President Wickremesinghe at the President’s house in Colombo and exchanged bilateral documents.

The Indian Foreign Minister also visited Kandy, Trincomalee and Jaffna.