VP Radhakrishnan meets Indian-origin Tamil beneficiaries of Indian Housing Project in Sri Lanka
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Monday met with Indian-origin Tamil beneficiaries of the houses built with assistance from India during his visit to the central tea plantation district of Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka.
Radhakrishnan, who is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, met the Indian-origin Tamil community and said that the government and people of India have a deep commitment to the welfare of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
The vice president visited the Liddlesdale Estate, Ragala, in Nuwara Eliya, also called the tea capital of Sri Lanka, in the Central Province.
He noted that the Government of India has so far provided 50,000 houses for the Tamil families in Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, as well as to Indian origin Tamil families in plantation regions, a social media post by the vice president said.
He added that an additional 10,000 houses will be delivered under the fourth phase of the Indian Housing Project.
While interacting with Indian-origin Tamils in Nuwara Eliya, Radhakrishnan also expressed his “deep sorrow” over the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwa and discussed India’s prompt relief and rescue operations launched under ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’.
Radhakrishnan’s visit is the first ever by an Indian vice president to Sri Lanka.
Later, the vice president will visit the Sita Amman Temple in Sitha Eliya and from there he will return to Colombo.
On Sunday, during talks with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who is also the education minister, Radhakrishnan discussed cooperation in the field of education.
An announcement regarding the enhancement of the Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust scholarship scheme was also made.
The number of scholarships under this scheme is being doubled from 350 to 700 and the monthly stipend is being increased from LKR 2,500 for A-level students and to LKR 7,500 for those pursuing higher education.