Colombo, Oct 12 (NationPress) The President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, was present at the inauguration of the Indian Housing Project Stage 2 Phase IV on Sunday. The Indian High Commission announced that this initiative aims to construct 60,000 houses, with this phase specifically targeting 4,700 homes.

Over 2,000 beneficiaries along with their family members attended the event, as per the statement issued by the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Notable attendees included Sri Lanka's Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Samantha Viddyarathna, the Minister of Fisheries, Deputy Ministers from various sectors including Plantation, Tourism, and Youth Affairs, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, as well as multiple MPs, Governors from Uva and Sabaragamuwa, Chief Secretaries, and senior officials from plantation areas.

In their statement on X, the Indian High Commission remarked: "The Indian Housing Project Stage 2 Phase IV was inaugurated in the presence of President H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, HC Santosh Jha, Minister of Plantation & Community Infrastructure Hon. S Viddyarathna, and the Minister of Fisheries, along with Deputy Ministers from various sectors."

Described as one of the largest development projects by India abroad, the IHP demonstrates a commitment to build 60,000 houses for beneficiaries in Sri Lanka, with financial assistance exceeding INR 18 billion. To date, approximately 50,000 houses have been constructed, while Phase IV Stage 2 aims to support 4,700 beneficiaries.

The statement further emphasized that Phases III and IV of the Indian Housing Project highlight the Indian government’s dedication to collaborating with the Sri Lankan government to uplift and empower the Indian-origin Tamil community.

"Phases III & IV, which cover 14,000 houses in Sri Lanka’s plantation regions, reflect the Indian government’s strong commitment to working alongside the Sri Lankan government for the betterment of this community," the High Commission noted in their post on X.

Back in 2010, the Indian government pledged to construct 50,000 houses in Sri Lanka, with an investment of Sri Lankan Rs 33 billion. A pilot project for 1,000 houses was initiated in November 2010, completing in July 2012 as per the Indian High Commission.

The second phase aimed at building 45,000 houses in the northern and eastern provinces, successfully completed in 2018. The third phase includes the construction of 4,000 houses for estate workers in Central and Uva provinces via a community-driven approach, with over 3,900 houses completed and the remaining houses currently under construction.

During his visit to Sri Lanka in 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional 10,000 houses for estate workers in plantation areas, formalized in 2018, with construction for 1,300 houses in the first stage already underway. By October 31, 2024, over Sri Lankan Rs 33 billion has been allocated by the Indian government for the Indian Housing Project.

In April, Prime Minister Modi visited Sri Lanka, engaging in fruitful discussions with President Dissanayake. They deliberated on strengthening their close bilateral relations, with PM Modi also announcing a comprehensive training package for an additional 700 Sri Lankan citizens per year in capacity building and economic support, along with finalizing Bilateral Amendatory Agreements on Debt Restructuring.