The Hindu : World Bank scheme for Sri Lanka's northeast

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 27, 2002

International

International

World Bank scheme for Sri Lanka's northeast

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO OCT. 26. The World Bank has drawn up plans for urgent reconstruction of the battle-scarred northeast Sri Lanka through a $31-million programme aimed at addressing four key areas.

The Northeast Emergency Reconstruction Programme, which is to be presented for approval by the Bank's board shortly, will focus on providing vital social infrastructure, such as healthcare, water supply and create employment generation to facilitate the return of the internally displaced persons (IDP).

The programme, which will be implemented by the Northeastern Provincial Council, also envisages a capacity-building component to train the staff of the Council and the Government Agents (the equivalent of an Indian District Collector) in the eight districts of the northeast, the Bank's Country Manager for Sri Lanka, Peter Harrold, told The Hindu.

Given the sensitivities involved in the capacity-building exercise, especially in a post-settlement scenario, which envisages an interim administration run by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the bank has kept its options open. "If governance structures change, the capacity building component will be reviewed'', Mr. Harrold said.

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