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Q.373 Houses for IDPS in Sri Lanka
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.373
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.02.2011
SHRI T. M. SELVAGANAPATHI:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government of India would construct more than 50,000 houses for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka under an agreement with Government of Sri Lanka;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether IDPs in Sri Lanka need more support from India to make re-settlement; and
(d) if so, the views of Government in this regard?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)
(a) & (b) Government of India has committed to assist Sri Lanka in construction of 50,000 houses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. In this regard India has taken up a pilot project for the construction of 1000 new houses in Northern Sri Lanka for IDPs.
(c) & (d) Government of India accords highest priority to the welfare, resettlement and rehabilitation of the IDPs in Northern Sri Lanka. 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 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.