In an effort to extend its housing project in Sri Lanka, India has announced plans to construct 10,000 houses in the plantation areas of the island nation.
The High Commission of India issued a statement on Tuesday (Nov. 28) confirming that it has signed agreements with the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) and State Engineering Corporation (SEC) for the construction of the houses.
The agreements aim to kickstart the early stages of construction for the housing project, which falls under the 4th phase of the Indian Housing Project. The Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation Wing, Eldos Mathew Punnoose; Chairman of SEC, Rathnasiri Kalupahana; and General Manager of NHDA, Kankanamalage Ajantha Janaka, were the signatories to the agreements.
This phase of the project will span across 11 districts and 6 provinces in Sri Lanka. The Indian government's commitment to the project currently stands at 60,000 houses, with the completion of 46,000 houses in the first two phases in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The third phase, which involves the construction of 4,000 houses in plantation areas, is nearing completion.
The statement from the high commission highlighted the importance of housing in India's development cooperation partnership with Sri Lanka. In addition to the Indian Housing Project, there are ongoing efforts to build 2,400 houses across the 25 districts of Sri Lanka through various housing projects.
India's development cooperation portfolio in Sri Lanka is valued at around USD 5 billion, with grants amounting to nearly USD 600 million.
Meanwhile, Gopal Baglay, the outgoing Indian High Commissioner, demonstrated India's commitment to the partnership by traveling by train from Colombo to Medawachiya in a spacious coach provided by Ind
