Jaffna, August 10 (newsin.asia): The Senthamizh Model Village in Velikamam West, Jaffna district, built with an Indian grant under the Model Villages Program of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Housing, was inaugurated on Saturday by the Sri Lankan Housing Minister Sajith Premadasa and the Indian Consul General in Jaffna, S.Balachandran.
The Minister and the Consul General ceremonially handed over the houses to the beneficiaries. The Senthamizh Model Village is the third of the 100 model villages being built with Indian assistance.
The Government of India has partnered with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Housing to build 100 model villages consisting of a total of 2400 houses all across Sri Lanka under an Indian grant assistance of SLR 1200 million (US$ 6.7 million).
These 2400 houses are in addition to the 60,000 houses built under the Indian Housing Project meant for the war affected people in the North and East and the estate workers in the plantation areas.
India has undertaken more than 70 people-oriented development projects in various fields including health, education, housing, skill development, infrastructure, vocational training among others, all across the country.
About, 20 such projects are currently under progress including four projects in the Northern Province, viz. construction of 27 schools, 3000 rain water harvesting units, Thiruketheeswaram Temple renovation and the Jaffna Cultural Centre.
The overall development portfolio of Government of India in Sri Lanka is close to US$ 3 billion out of which US$ 560 million are in grants.
Members of Parliament Maavai Senathirajah and E. Saravanapavan, local leaders from the Northern Province, senior Government officials, beneficiaries and a large number of people from the region attended the event at the Senthamizh Model Village.
