Foreign Secretary Shringla inaugurates key housing and education projects during Sri Lanka visit

Colombo [Sri Lanka], October 4 (ANI): As India and Sri Lanka reset their ties and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla concludes his visit to the island nation, four projects in the housing and education sectors were jointly inaugurated on Monday.

This visit also focused on reviewing the progress of India-funded projects.

One of the main key projects virtually inaugurated related to handing over 1,235 houses to beneficiaries under Indian Housing Project (IHP) Phase III. This project is a part of India's biggest grant assistance project in Sri Lanka for the construction of 50,000 houses at a cost of INR 1,372 crore across various districts of the island nation.

Under Phase III of IHP, a total of 4,000 houses are to be built. Of these, more than 3500 houses have been completed, construction of around 400 houses is going on and that of 63 houses is yet to start.

The 1,235 completed houses under Phase III were handed over by the Foreign Secretary during his visit.

The Government of India is also providing assistance to construct 600 houses in 25 districts of Sri Lanka under the Model Village Housing Project.

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. The project in Vavuniya District is complete and was also handed over during the visit.

Vada Central Ladies College in Vadamarachi was also virtually inaugurated during the Foreign Secretary's visit.

This is in Northern Province and is aligned with the Government of India's continued commitment for improved educational infrastructure in Sri Lanka.

A project for the renovation of 27 schools in Northern Province was taken up by the Government of India as a grant assistance project at a cost of SLR 250 million. 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.

Another major project inaugurated during Shringla's visit is Saraswathi Central College in Pusellawa, Kandy district. It involved the construction of a new building to accommodate science labs, lecture hall, renovation of the existing infrastructure of the school and supply of ICT equipment and furniture.

Shringla's four-day visit is focused on further strengthening bilateral ties and community development issues.

Earlier today he called on Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and jointly inaugurated projects with Foreign Minister Sri Lankan GL Peiris, He also visited Jaffna and Kandy districts. (ANI)