World Bank funds US$ 65 m for ENRP

Charumini de Silva

The World Bank has allocated a US$ 65 million for the Emergency Northern Recovery Project (ENRP) to support the Government’s effort to resettle the internally displaced people (IDP) in their place of origin in the Northern province and to assist them with the social and economic livelihood development World Bank Country Director, Naoko Ishii said at a press briefing yesterday.

They will help the Government to assist over 100,000 returnees mainly from the areas of Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vauniya and Mannar as they are keen to continue their economic and social livelihood development, she said.

The key project components are emergency assistance to IDPs (US$ 6 million), workfare (US$ 12 million), essential infrastructure rehabilitation and reconstruction (US$ 44 million) and project management, monitoring and evaluation US$ 3 million).

World Bank Senior Rural Development Specialist, Nihal Fernando said this project would resettle village-level infrastructure and war-damaged rural access roads, drinking water, irrigation facilities and public buildings. The ENRP is expected to be completed within the next couple of years.

He said the ENRP includes a special program named Cash for Work, which is an opportunity for the returnees to fill the income gap between the time of return and resumption of livelihood. Through the Cash for Work each will get a daily wage of Rs 500-600.

Other world bank funding projects for the Northern province are education sector development projects (US$ 3 million), health sector development project (US$ 8 million), community livelihood development projects in conflict affected areas (US$ 5 million), North East housing reconstruction project (US$ 40 million) and provincial road project (US$ 20 million), Fernando said.