India and Sri Lanka have decided to fast-track the grant project for the construction of sanitation units in Batticaloa district.

To this end, a meeting of the Project Steering Committee on Construction of Sanitation Units/Toilets in Batticaloa was convened on Monday (June 05) under the co-chairmanship of Deputy Indian High Commissioner Vinod K. Jacob and Secretary to the Agriculture Ministry Gunadasa Samarasinghe.

The meeting was held in hybrid format with participation of District Secretariat, Batticaloa and other relevant stakeholders, according to a statement issued by the Indian High Commission in Colombo.
 
The construction of sanitation units in Batticaloa is being undertaken as a grant project by Government of India.

The Project Steering Committee’s meeting focused on the revision of modalities for fast-tracking the construction of over a thousand sanitation units in Batticaloa District to enhance the public health conditions of the people in the region.

“This project is a reflection of India’s continued commitment to carry out human-centric projects in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka,” the High Commission continued in its statement.

The High Commission further said: “India’s overall development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at more than USD 5 billion, with nearly USD 600 million being grants. Close to 65 grant projects have already been carried out across the 25 districts of the country. Currently, over 20 grant projects are at various stages of implementation. Indian Housing Project and 1990 Suwaseriya ambulance service are among the flagship grant projects implemented by India in Sri Lanka.”