India hands over 1,200 constructed houses, 2 colleges in SL to Lankan govt

Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla handed over the houses and two colleges during his four day visit to the island nation. 

“Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla jointly inaugurated 4 projects in the housing & education sectors with Hon’ble Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof G. L Peiris in the presence of several Cabinet Ministers & MPs,” said a Twitter post by the Indian High Commission in Colombo.  

“These projects, completed with Indian assistance, exemplify India’s strong and multifaceted development cooperation profile in Sri Lanka,” a second post said. 

Shringla’s visit is aimed at assessing possible ways to help Sri Lanka in its post covid-19 economic recovery and taking stock of the status of Indian development projects. Ties between the two countries have been buffeted by irritants in recent months on the back of Sri Lanka being seen as moving closer to India’s strategic rival China.  Against this backdrop, Shringla’s trip is seen as a signal of India’s aim to reach out to Colombo and put ties back on an even keel. 

Besides inaugurating the projects, Shringla held talks with his counterpart Jayanath Colombage on Monday. He also called on Foreign Minister G.L.Peiris and Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.  

According to a person familiar with the development, one set of houses numbering 1,235 were completed and handed over under the third phase of the Indian Housing Project (IHP). This project is part of India’s biggest grant assistance project in Sri Lanka for the construction of 50,000 houses at a cost of ₹1,372 crore across various districts in Sri Lanka, the person said. The houses under this project were aimed at providing shelter to the thousands Tamils who were internally displaced due to the three decade long civil war that came to an end in May 2009. The welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils is an emotive issue in India given that the many of them have cultural and familial links with India’s Tamil population. 

“Under Phase III of IHP a total of 4,000 houses are to be built. Out of which, more than 3500 houses have been completed, the construction of around 400 houses is going on and 63 houses are yet to start. The 1235 completed houses under this Phase III were handed over by Foreign Secretary during his visit,” the person said.  

 India is also involved in a Model Village Housing Project in Vavuniya District in northern Sri Lanka, the person said. This is part of another project under which 600 houses are to be built in 25 districts of Sri Lanka.  

“The project is being implemented as a High Impact Community Development Project under which 24 houses are being built for low-income families in each of the 25 districts, including Vavuniya District. The project at Vavuniya District is complete and was handed over during the visit,” the person cited above said. 

Shringla also inaugurated the Vada Central Ladies College in Vadamarachi in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province and the Saraswathi Central College in Pusellawa, in Kandy in central Sri Lanka, the person cited above said. The first was part of a project to build improved educational infrastructure in Sri Lanka under which 27 schools were to be renovated as a grant assistance project.   

“Out of 27 schools, 22 school buildings have been completed and handed over so far. Vada Central Ladies College in Vadamarachi is one of the 27 schools taken up for renovation and was handed over during this visit,” the person said. 

The Saraswathi Central College in Kandy was implemented as a High Impact Community Development Project under Indian grant assistance under the terms of a pact signed in 2017. The new premises contains science labs and lecture halls besides the supply of ICT equipment and furniture, the person added.