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Q.313 Financial assistance to Tamils in Sri Lanka
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.313
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.02.2011
DR. M. THAMBIDURAI:
SHRI S. S. RAMASUBBU:
SHRI E. G. SUGAVNAM:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether any financial relief has been extended by Indian Government to the Sri Lankan Government for rehabilitation of civilian Tamils after the ethnic war;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the details of infrastructural facilities provided to internally displaced Tamils; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to achieve a political solution of the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)
(a) & (b) Government of India has provided extensive assistance to people affected by the conflict. In June, 2009 India announced Rs 500 crores for relief, rehabilitation and resettlement in Sri Lanka. As humanitarian relief assistance, India had dispatched 2.5 lakh family relief packs which were mobilised by Tamil Nadu Government and deployed an emergency field hospital for six months. India has deployed seven demining teams in Northern Sri Lanka; sent more than 7800 MT of shelter material; distributed 95,000 agricultural starters packs, gifted seeds and 500 tractors to revive agricultural activities in Northern Sri Lanka; gifted 55 buses to the Northern, Eastern and Central Provinces; conducted an artificial limb fitment camp in Northern Sri Lanka for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and has also gifted 4 lakh cement bags for resettling IDP families. India has also announced construction of 50,000 houses for the IDPs in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. During his visit to Sri Lanka in November 2010, EAM inaugurated a pilot project for construction of 1000 houses at Ariyalai in Jaffna and also carried out the ground breaking of Medawachchiya railway line restoration project in Northern Sri Lanka, which is being carried out under a GoI Line of Credit amounting to US $ 800 million. India is also assisting in the rehabilitation of the KKS harbour, restoration of Duraiappa stadium and construction of Cultural Centre at Jaffna and vocational training centre at Batticaloa.
(c) During the visit of the President of Sri Lanka in June 2010, India emphasised the need for a meaningful devolution package to create the necessary conditions for a lasting political settlement in Sri Lanka. India has also reiterated the need for a structured dialogue with the Tamil parties and other stakeholders for a lasting political settlement. The President of Sri Lanka reiterated his determination to evolve a political settlement acceptable to all communities.