India helps develop model villages

India and Sri Lanka signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) today to construct 1,200 houses through 50 model villages, using Indian grant assistance of Rs. 600 million.

The MoUs were signed by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Housing and Construction Ministry Secretary W.K.K. Athukorala in the presence of Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa, The signing took place during a special ceremony held in Hambantota for vesting to the beneficiaries the Santhosagama model village completed under the Gram Shakti Model Village Housing Project where the High Commissioner participated as a Special Guest.

The 1,200 houses will be constructed using the successful owner driven model with Indian grant assistance. Of them, 600 houses will be constructed in the Southern Province. The rest will be constructed in 25 districts, one model village for each. The project will target low income landless and homeless beneficiaries. Rs. 5 lakh will be provided to each beneficiary in five instalment.

The Government of India’s commitment to assist the Sri Lanka to develop its housing infrastructure will continue with the project. India committed to construct 50,000 houses for the IDPs in the North and East and nearly 46,000 houses of them were completed.

Constructing 4000 houses are underway in the plantation sector in the Central and Uva Provinces.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed to help built another 10,000 houses for the plantation sector in May.