World Bank funds North-East development project

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 March 1999, 16:18 GMT]
Local government officials are awaiting security clearance from the Ministry of Defence to sign an agreement with the World Bank to implement a four year programme, known as the North East Irrigated Agricultural Project(NEIAP). This project will be funded by the World Bank.

Under this project about five hundred minor irrigation tanks in all areas of the North-East province, except the Jaffna district, will be restored and rehabilitated at a cost of 23.1 million US dollars.

The Chief Secretary of the North East Provincial Council, G.Kirushnamoorthy, said that this was the first time the World Bank had agreed to fund developments projects undertaken in areas controlled by Tamil Tigers.

He added that in past the World Bank had funded all development projects through central government agencies.

But this time, the World Bank had come forward to fund the NEIAP programme through the North-East Provincial Council. The central government would only provide technical assistance.

Mr.Kirushnamoorthy further said that an agreement to implement this four year project is likely to be signed in Washington in July this year once security clearance has been obtained.

This project is expected to commence in July,1999 and completed in the year 2003.