Indian delegation monitors progress of ongoing development projects
A high-level Monitoring Committee from the Indian External Affairs
Ministry led by P.S. Raghavan, Special Secretary (Development
Partnership Administration) and Bimal Julka, Special Secretary and
Financial Adviser, visited Sri Lanka from April 9 -12, 2013 to monitor
and evaluate the progress of ongoing development projects implemented by
Government of India in Sri Lanka,states a Indian High Commission press
release.
The delegation visited the North Sea Fishnet factory at Gurunagar,
Jaffna, which is being upgraded with latest equipment under a project
funded by the Indian Government at a cost of SLR 166 million, and is
expected to be fully operational with the latest equipment by May 2013.
Under this Project, four fishnet making machines and two fishnet
stretching machines for manufacturing different types of fishnets have
been supplied, besides setting up of a water purification system, dye
plant etc. 24,000 kg of fishnet making twines were also supplied under
the Project.It is expected that this equipment will help increase the
fishnet production at the factory from the present level of 60 MT per
year to 300 MT per year.
During the visit, the delegation, accompanied by the Consul General
of India, Jaffna V. Mahalingam also launched a Government of India
funded Project to assist in the repair/renovation of 1,230 small
business premises at Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, which were damaged
during the last phase of the armed conflict.
A function was organized to launch the Project at the Cooperative
Conference Hall in Kilinochchi, which was attended by Member of
Parliament M. ChandraKumar, Kilinochchi Government Agent Mrs. R.
Ketheeswaran and Secretary General of Federation of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of Sri Lanka Nalin Atygalle among others.
Certificates were distributed at the event to 174 beneficiaries to
mark the launch of the project. The project is being implemented at a
cost of SLR 65.35 million, assisting 1,230 beneficiaries to help rebuild
their damaged business premises. Depending on the scale of their
business, beneficiaries are being provided SLR 25,000 (micro-category),
SLR 50,000 (small-category), SLR 1 lakh (medium-category) or SLR 2 lakh
(large-category).
Five Hundred and Seventy one beneficiaries have been selected under
the micro-category, 477 beneficiaries under the small category, 101
beneficiaries under the medium category and 81 beneficiaries under the
large category.
The funds for each beneficiary are transferred electronically
directly into their bank accounts by the High Commission of India.
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka is
facilitating the implementation of the Project, by helping identify
deserving beneficiaries and undertaking the necessary paperwork.
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