Japanese help for welfare centres

The Japanese Government will provide assistance for the provision of drinking water supply equipment and a septate treatment plant to welfare centres for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Northern Province.

Japanese Ambassador Kunio Takahashi handed over the Note Verbal to Water Supply and Drainage Minister A.L.M. Athaullah.

The Project which has materialized consequent to a request made by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWS&DB) to the Japanese Embassy on the instruction of Minister A.L.M. Athaullah will meet immediate requirements of safe drinking water and improvement of sanitation in welfare centres.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also plays a vital role for dispatching a Japanese expert to NWS&DB. The Japanese Government allocates Rs. 263.3 million from the 2KR Counterpart Fund which was provided under the Food Production Grant Assistance to the Government. The Government allocates Rs. 23 million as a local counterpart fund for the Project. NWS&DB under the Water Supply and Drainage Ministry has taken steps to facilitate the related activities and ensure a smooth implementation of the project to benefit the people who are living in the welfare centres at Vavuniya and Jaffna districts.

The internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been taken care of in several welfare centres until they are resettled in their original places.