RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3856
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.04.2017
REHABILITATION OF TAMILS IN SRI LANKA
3856. SHRI A. VIJAYAKUMAR:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the number of initiatives taken by Government for rehabilitation of Tamils in Sri Lanka;
(b) whether Government conducts any survey on impact of rehabilitation initiatives there;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the funds allocated for rehabilitation have been diverted by Government of Sri Lanka; and
(e) if so, the action taken thereon?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) to (e) Government has undertaken a number of projects for rehabilitation of Tamil population in Sri Lanka. Besides assisting the affected people during the conflict, Government launched extensive humanitarian relief efforts after the end of the conflict in May 2009, for the war affected and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
India’s total development portfolio in Sri Lanka is nearly US$ 2.6 billion, out of which the grant component is US$ 436 million. Government of India’s flagship Housing Project, with an overall commitment of over INR 1372 crore in grants to construct 50,000 housing units, is a major initiative taken aimed at rehabilitation of the affected population. It includes 46,000 housing units for IDPs in the Northern and Eastern provinces and 4,000 housing units in Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka. The 46,000 houses in the Northern and Eastern provinces are nearly complete and have been handed over to the beneficiaries, barring a few which are in the final construction phase.
In addition to the construction of houses, the grant projects undertaken by the Government of India are in the areas of upgradation of educational institutions including reconstruction of schools; supply of medical equipment and construction of hospitals; reviving local economies and creation of livelihood; improving transportation, power and water supply; improving sports infrastructure and creation of infrastructure for cultural space, among others.
Government of India has extended a Line of Credit for Railway and other connectivity projects for rehabilitation in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Track laying on the Pallai-Kanakesanthurai railway line; Omanthai-Pallai sector; Madhu Church-Talaimannar Sector and Medawachchiya-Madhy railway line as well as setting up of signaling and telecommunications systems for the Northern Railway line are among the completed projects under the Line of Credit. A project to rehabilitate the Kanakesanthurai Harbour under a Line of Credit is currently being undertaken jointly by the Governments of India and Sri Lanka.
Government assesses the needs and undertakes the projects in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka. All the projects are closely monitored by the Government to ensure that the assistance reaches the vulnerable and identified people. In all the grant projects, the payments are made either directly to the beneficiaries or to the contractors in order to ensure that the funds allocated for rehabilitation are used for the purpose intended.
*****