Q. 643 Relief measures for Tamils in Sri Lanka

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to satate :-

(a) whether the financial support extended by Government of India of Rs.500 crore for the relief and rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka on June 9, 2009, was disbursed completely;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any other relief/assistance has been extended or being extended by Government of India for the rehabilitation of war displaced Tamil civilians in their country;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) the manner in which such relief/assistance is extended/being extended to them; and
(f) whether the Union Government has any check and monitoring process to ensure the relief measures to the
Sri Lankan Tamils have reached properly?

ANSWER: THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)

(a) to (f) In June 2009, the Prime Minister announced a grant of Rs.500 crores for relief, rehabilitation and resettlement work in Sri Lanka. Of this, Rs. 68.96 crores was expended in the financial year 2009-10, Rs.93.86 crores in 2010-11 and Rs.181.94 crores in 2011-12. In 2009, assistance was provided for immediate relief measures including the dispatch of 2,50,000 family relief packs, containing essential items like dry rations, clothing and utensils; two consignments of medicines; and an emergency field hospital deployed for six months in Northern Sri Lanka. In order to facilitate and enable rapid resettlement and rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the Government of India deployed seven demining teams in Northern Sri Lanka to assist in securing the area. More than 10,400 MT of shelter material was sent for resettling IDPs. As an immediate measure to revive agricultural activity, about 95,000 agricultural starter packs, seeds and 500 tractors have been distributed among IDP families being resettled. Government has gifted 55 buses to Northern, Eastern and Central Provinces of Sri Lanka, and has organized month-long artificial limb fitment camps in Jaffna and Vavuniya in Northern Sri Lanka for IDPs. Four lakh cement bags were also gifted to assist the IDP families to repair their damaged houses. Subsequently, various projects relating to resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction works in Northern Sri Lanka, including those related to the development of rail and port infrastructure, connectivity and transportation, education, public health, housing, vocational training and economic revival were started. In the Current Financial Year (2012-13) ` 290 crores have been allocated for the same purpose. Government has also extended a Line of Credit (LoC) of about US $ 800 million for the restoration of Northern Railway Lines.

The disbursement of funds for projects under the Government’s grant assistance in Sri Lanka is monitored by Project Steering and Project Monitoring Committees set up for this purpose. These Committees include senior representatives of the Government of India, High Commission of India, Colombo and the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). Funds for the projects are disbursed based on the progress of work and utilization of funds already provided to the implementing agency. Regular field visits to the project sites to assess the progress of work on the ground are also carried out by senior officials of the Government and the High Commission. In projects where procurement is undertaken directly by Government for distribution to beneficiaries, a Procurement Committee in the High Commission oversees the process. Modalities of handing over the items to GoSL and their distribution are mutually agreed through exchange of letters between Government and GoSL. The GoSL is asked to send regular reports on distribution of items. EXIM Bank of India releases and monitors funds sanctioned under Government Lines of Credit. The Parliament Standing Committee on External Affairs regularly reviews all issues relating to the Ministry of External Affairs.

It may also be noted that, a 12-member Joint Parliamentary delegation, led by the Hon’ble Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, during its visit to Sri Lanka from 16-21 April 2012, inter-alia discussed the implementation of various Government of India (GoI) assisted projects for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka at its meetings with the President and Ministers of the Sri Lankan Government. The delegation visited several places, including Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Kalutara and Batticaloa, where projects are being implemented under GoI assistance, including those related to the development of rail and port infrastructure, connectivity and transportation, education, public health, housing, demining, vocational training and economic revival.

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