The project will ensure access to sweet water and benefit more than half a million people

In yet another example of people-centric Indian projects in Sri Lanka, an Integrated Water Supply Project carried out with Indian financial assistance was dedicated to the Sri Lankan people on Wednesday.

The Integrated Water Supply Project in Kalutara come up with Indian financial assistance of more than USD 160 million.

A tweet by the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said, “India-Sri Lanka development cooperation partnership continues to soar high! An Integrated Water Supply Project in Kalutara carried out with financial assistance of more than USD 160 million from India was dedicated to the people of Sri Lanka.”

The second part of the tweet said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on World Water Day dedicated the project to the people of Sri Lanka.

“The project will ensure access to sweet water and benefit more than half a million people in the region. Yet another shining example of the people-centric Indian projects in Sri Lanka,” the second part of the tweet further said.

India's development cooperation with Sri Lanka is unique and is built on foundations of political understanding, a historic past, geographic realities and socio-cultural empathy, as per a note on the website of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Since 2005, Government of India (GoI) has committed a total of USD 2.6 billion to Sri Lanka, out of which USD 436 million is grant assistance and USD 2.17 billion under Lines of Credit.

The developmental assistance projects are entirely based on the priorities set by the Government and the people of Sri Lanka.

They have been widely appreciated for the value they generate per unit of assistance provided, their transparent approach and timely implementation through recourse to local materials and manpower, in a manner that supports local economies, the Indian High Commission website says.

The assistance focuses specially on capacity-building, human resources development, uplifting of weaker sections as well as infrastructure development, it further states.

GoI assistance to Sri Lanka has evolved taking into account the ground situation and the immediate needs of the people at any given time.

India has catered to Sri Lanka’s longer-term needs of housing, reconstruction and development. Capacity-building is an integral part of the assistance strategy for this phase.

India’s portfolio of development projects now encompasses virtually all areas, including housing, agriculture, fisheries, education, health, industry, transport, culture and sports, the website adds.

A significant feature of a number of Government of India (GoI) projects is that they were enabled by a MoU signed with the Government of Sri Lanka to implement Small Development Projects.

According to the Indian High Commission’s website, the purpose was to work around procedural delays for projects of value less than SLR 300 million (INR 14 crore).

Through this template, it was possible to expedite approvals, thus making the overall implementation process more compact.

A large number of projects undertaken with GoI's assistance have been on schedule and some are ahead of schedule.