Indian help for more N-E housing projects
Athapattu BANDARA
The Indian government has always been behind Sri Lanka assisting to
rebuild the living conditions of war affected people in the North and
East, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said.
The minister was speaking at the launch of the next phase of the
Indian housing project for 43.000 housing units in the North and East at
the Economic Development Ministry on Friday.
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The launch of the next phase of the Indian housing project for
43.000 housing units in the North and East was held at the
Economic Development Ministry Friday. Here, an official of the
implementing agency UN-HABITAT signs the agreement with Indian
political councillor Anurag Sri Wasthawa. Looking on are
Economic Development Minister
Basil Rajapaksa and Indian High Commissioner Ashok K Kantha.
Picture by Chaminda Hittatiya |
The Indian High Commission signed agreements with four implementing
agencies, UN-HABITAT, International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC), in partnership with Sri Lanka Red Cross,
National Housing Development Agency (NHDA) and Habitat for Humanity.
Minister Rajapaksa said the Indian government was assisting Sri Lanka
in numerous ways.
He said starting from the process of resettlement of IDPs, schooling,
clothing, medication, agriculture, education and upgrading
infrastructure facilities, India has helped Sri Lanka.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok K Kantha said Sri Lanka
has achieved tremendous progress in the last three years and has seen
vast development.
He said the four IAs were selected on the basis of their experience
and expertise in implementing similar projects in Sri Lanka. “The
signing of these agreements will help build these houses without delay,”
he said.
The building of houses will be made under the owner-driven model.
Beneficiaries will be selected through a transparent and norm based
process on the basis of clearly defined and objective criteria.
The funds will directly be released by the Indian High Commission to
bank accounts of beneficiaries based on certification of progress of
work.
About 6,000 houses will be constructed by construction agencies for
people from most vulnerable sections of IDPs in the North and East and
for estate sector in the Central and Uva provinces.
The construction of 43.000 houses for resettlement and rehabilitation
of IDPs is part of the overall commitment to build 50.000 houses.
So far, 950 houses have been completed under the pilot phase, and
most of them handed over to beneficiaries. The remaining houses will be
completed by the end of July.
The Indian Housing Project is carried out in consultation and
cooperation of the Sri Lankan government.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed on January 18, 2012
between the two governments covering various aspects of project
implementation.
The entire project is under full grant assistance of India with a
total outlay of Rs 30.6 billion.
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