$ 85 m boost from Germany and UK for post-war rebuilding, growth

Friday, 16 December 2011 02:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Over US$ 85 million (nearly Rs 10 billion) is being given by Germany and UK for post-war reconstruction and livelihood creation to spur growth, a Minister said yesterday.

UK is funding 141 bridges in Sri Lanka at a cost of US$ 69.7 million after obtaining Cabinet approval.

Cabinet has approved a project for the construction of 141 single and two lane steel bridges throughout the country with financial assistance from the UK, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told media.

He added that the Road Development Authority has identified around 160 bridges that need replacement on a priority basis. UK company Mabey Bridge Limited will carry out the construction of the new bridges.

Maybey Bridge has been operating in Sri Lanka since 2002 and since 2008 has constructed five flyovers and 136 bridges.

Meanwhile, Germany has agreed to provide grant assistance of Euro 15.5 million (about US$ 14.9 million) to implement development projects in the north and east regions of the country that were battered in the three-decade war in 2009.

Rambukwella remarked that under this project a Vocational Training Centre would be established in the former Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) stronghold Kilinochchi with a capacity to train 400 students.

Further facilities will be given to small and medium industry development in the sectors of textile, agribusiness, food livestock and tourism.

After the end of the war over 300,000 people from the north and east were internally displaced and lived in Government-run welfare camps before being resettled. However, they still face significant challenges in resuming their livelihoods and returning to normalcy.

The Government plans to end all resettlement by the end of 2011 and concentrate on fast-tracked development with eight per cent growth expected for next year.