What Did India's Vice President Discuss During His Historic Visit to Sri Lanka?
Historic Visit to Sri Lanka
In a significant visit to Sri Lanka, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan engaged with Indian-origin Tamil beneficiaries of housing projects funded by India in the Nuwara Eliya district, known for its tea plantations.
During his two-day trip, Radhakrishnan emphasized India's commitment to the welfare of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
He toured the Liddlesdale Estate in Ragala, where he highlighted that India has constructed 50,000 homes for Tamil families in the Northern and Eastern provinces, as well as for those in plantation areas.
An additional 10,000 houses are set to be built under the fourth phase of the Indian Housing Project.
While meeting with the Tamil community, he expressed condolences for the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwa and mentioned India's swift response through 'Operation Sagar Bandhu'.
This visit marks the first time an Indian vice president has traveled to Sri Lanka.
Radhakrishnan is also scheduled to visit the Sita Amman Temple in Sitha Eliya before returning to Colombo.
On Sunday, he held discussions with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya regarding educational collaboration.
A significant announcement was made to double the scholarships under the Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust from 350 to 700, with an increase in monthly stipends for A-level and higher education students.
In talks with Sri Lankan Tamil leaders, he revealed that the Overseas Citizen Card will now extend to the fifth and sixth generations of the diaspora, benefiting the Indian-origin Tamil community.
He also confirmed the completion of the final batch of houses under Phase 3 of the Indian Housing Project, which includes 4,000 homes for estate workers across various provinces.
With 3,855 units already delivered, the remaining 145 were completed during this visit, marking a key achievement in the project.
Launched nearly 15 years ago, this initiative represents a significant investment of around 1,835 crore Indian rupees and is the largest Indian grant assistance project outside of India.
Radhakrishnan and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake discussed plans for an oil pipeline linking India and Sri Lanka, along with enhancing bilateral relations, housing initiatives, and fishing issues.