India grants USD 585,000 aid to university in Tamil dominated Jaffna

Colombo, Oct 25: As part of its development partnership with Sri Lanka in the field of higher education, India on Wednesday provided equipment and vehicles worth USD 585,000 to a university in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Jaffna city.

The assistance package was given to develop agriculture as well as engineering faculty on the Killinochchi campus of University of Jaffna, Indian High Commission said in a statement.

The material worth USD 585,000 (SLR 90 million) is part of the USD 3.9 million (SLR 600 million) development project to develop the agriculture and engineering departments of the university.

"In addition to provision of equipment, vehicles, the Government of India will also provide support for curriculum development, faculty exchanges, training and research," the the statement said.

"The project will benefit students pursuing professional courses in Agriculture and Engineering by providing them better facilities and improved learning environment," it added.

India has also constructed a 200-bed hospital ward complex costing USD 13 lakh in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated former war zone of North. The project in the northern district of Vavuniya has been implemented under full grant assistance of the government of India.

PTI