India is to build 5,000 housing units for estate workers

India is to build 5,000 housing units for estate workers in the hill country.  

The Indian High Commissioner Ashok Kantha said that these houses will be built as part of the larger commitment for the construction of 50,000 houses in Sri Lanka.   The High Commissioner made this announcement during his recent visit to Talawakalle, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Passara to attend several public functions.  

During this visit the High Commissioner handed over a number of buses donated by the Government of India as part of a project to supply 55 buses to assist social, cultural and educational institutions in Sri Lanka at a total cost of SLR 92.95 million. Twenty of these buses have been donated to Annai Kothai Entrepreneur Co. Ltd to develop transport infrastructure for estate workers living in remote areas in the Plantation sector.

The High Commissioner has also pledged to improve the medical infrastructure in the hill country, the enhancement of the number of scholarships for children of estate workers and also the revamping of the Vocational Training Centre in Nuwara Eliya.  As regards improving medical and health facilities, he has said that India will start the construction of a 150-bed hospital in Dickoya.

During this visit, the High Commissioner also called on the Governor of Uva Province, Nanda Mathew and discussed the providing of Indian assistance for development of tourism, education and agriculture sectors in the Uva Province.