The external affairs minister distributed newly-built houses and renovated schools, constructed with Indian assistance, and said India was willing to provide more help for their development of the war-torn region. Arriving in Kilinochchi, that still carries the scars of the three-decade-old ethnic conflict, by a helicopter from Colombo, Krishna also handed over high-tech medical equipments worth Rs 1.5 crore to the District Central Hospital which attracts patients from the three northern districts of Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu.
The minister, who was accompanied by his counterpart G L Peiris, Sri Lankan Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Small Industries Minister and Tamil leader Douglas Devananda, asserted that India remains fully committed towards the rehabilitation, resettlement and well-being of displaced persons in the northern province. Inaugurating the first of the 79 renovated schools that were badly damaged due to the war between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE, Krishna said the project was aimed at delivering a facelift to basic educational infrastructure of the region.
"I am happy to note that as a result of this intervention families will be able to send their children to schools, and students will have a decent learning environment offering them a better future," Krishna said. "India remains fully committed towards rehabilitation, resettlement and well-being of displaced persons in the northern province. We stand ready to do more," he said.
