Indian government supports North development:

Bicycles for low income families

Ten thousand bicycles were donated by the Indian government to be distributed among low income earning families in the Northern Province.

The handing over ceremonies were held under the patronage of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda recently.

The minister extended his gratitude to the Indian government on behalf of the government and the people of the North for their unstinting contribution towards the development of the Northern and Eastern provinces since redeeming the two regions from terrorism.

The ceremony in Jaffna was held at the Nallur Divisional Secretariat and the ceremony in Kilinochchi was held at the Kilinochchi Iyakachchi College.

The minister said North Governor Major General G A Chandrasiri and himself requested the Indian government to provide 10,000 bicycles to uplift the living standard of low income earning families in the two districts to coincide with the Uthuru Vasanthaya programme. He said these bicycles were donated to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on a decision arrived at by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The minister instructed officials to distribute the bicycles to the most deserving and if any mistakes were made in preparing the lists of distribution, to correct them forthwith.

At the inaugural session, the minister distributed 100 bicycles at each ceremony and said according to the schedule drawn up, 1,500 bicycles would be distributed in the Jaffna district, 2,500 in the Kilinochchi district, 1,750 in the Vavuniya district, 2,500 in the Mullaitivu district and 1,750 in the Mannar district.

Major General Chandrasiri extended his gratitude to the Indian High Commissioner and the Indian government on behalf of the people of the North for the invaluable contribution made to ease out the difficulties experienced by low income earners of the North.Parliamentarian and Parliament Committees Deputy Chairman Murugesu Chandrakumar said he highly appreciated the help extended by the Indian government to uplift the living standard of the war battered people in the North and East.

Deputy Indian High Commissioner Mahalingam and Jaffna Mayor Yogeswari Patkunarajah also spoke. Additional Government Agent Jaffna Rubini Varathalingam participated in the ceremony at the Nallur Divisional Secretariat while Government Agent Kilinochchi and several officials participated in the ceremony in Kilinochchi.