Indian assistance for Nanasala project
COLOMBO:Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad inaugurated the
first of the 20 Nanasala that the Indian Government is financing at a
cost of SL Rs. 13 million. Irrigation, Water Management, Ports and
Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa was the Chief Guest. President’s
Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, also participated in the inauguration. The
20 Nanasalas have been carefully selected so that most of the districts
in the Island will benefit from the project.
The financial assistance provided by India in establishing these
Nanasalas underscores the India’s commitment to be a partner in the
development of Sri Lanka. India has instituted various scholarship and
training programmes to strengthen the Human Resource pool in Sri Lanka.
One Hundred Sri Lankan students who are studying “A” level were
awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships last year. Another group of 100
students who joined “A” level in 2007 are being selected for this
programme in association of the Education Ministry. The students were
selected from all the 25 districts on means-cum-merit basis. The
beneficiaries will receive
financial assistance of Rs. 1500/- per month for two years to pursue
their ‘A’ level courses.
The High Commission also awards 75 Indian Councils for Cultural
Relations Scholarships to Sri Lankans for pursuing under-graduate and
post-graduate courses in various institutes and universities in India.
The Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo awards 12 scholarships to Lankan
students to follow under 150 graduate courses in music, dance and fine
arts. In addition India provides scholarships each year for pursuing
professional short and medium courses in India through scheme of
technical co-operation under the BIMSTEC and Colombo Plan.
To assist in capacity building in agriculture, there are training
programmes, scholarships, research projects and exchange of visits of
farmers.
Sixteen MSc and twenty one PhD Scholarships at Indian Agricultural
Research Institutions have been made available to Sri Lankan students. |
