India assists IDP rehabilitation

The Indian government in a bid to assist Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) initiated several programmes in the Northern Province.

The press release states: To support the rehabilitation of IDPs in the Northern Province particularly in agriculture, which is their primary means of livelihood and revive the local economy, the Indian government embarked on the urgent implementation of a programme of agricultural renewal which included supply of 500 tractors along with four other agricultural implements as well as supply of seeds to farmers for the Maha and Yala seasons in 2010-11.

The supply of tractors under the programme commenced on November 1, 2010 with the ceremonial handing-over of 52 tractors with a complete set of farm implements. Nine tine tillers, two furrow disc plough and a cage wheel was handed over by Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Subsequently, the remaining tractors and implements were delivered in lots to various locations in the Northern Province during November and December 2010. The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 600 million (INR 250 million).

All 500 tractors together with the four implements have been successfully distributed to Agrarian Services Centres (ASCs) in the Northern Province. The Indian Government has already completed the supply of seeds of field crops, including green gram and black gram.