India constructs two new school buildings in Jaffna, hands it over to Lanka government

India has stepped up its efforts in providing development and infrastructure aid to its southern neighbour Sri Lanka. On Monday, two new school buildings in Navatkuli and Chavakachcheri of northern Jaffna District which was constructed with Indian assistance were handed over to Sri Lanka.
 
The school buildings, in Navatkuli Mahavidyalam and Drieberg College, were jointly inaugurated by the Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Dr Shilpak Ambule and the Governor of the Northern Province Dr Suren Raghavan.

 
These buildings are part of new classroom buildings currently being constructed in overall 27 schools in the Northern Province at a cost of 250 million Sri Lankan Rupees. Ten school buildings have been completed and inaugurated including the other two buildings handed over on Monday.

The development comes a day after Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena flagged off a new train supplied by India. The train connects Fort Station in Colombo to Kankesanthurai Station in Jaffna. 

The train, self-propelled Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), was procured under Indian concessional financing by Sri Lanka Railways. 

Sri Lankan Transport minister Arjuna Ranatunga and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu were also present on the occasion. 

According to a release by the Indian mission in Sri Lanka," the train set has best-in-class passenger amenities with fully rotating seats in the Air-Conditioned Chair Cars, on-board Infotainment system, GPS-based passenger information system and modular interiors."

New Delhi's aid and help come at a time when Colombo lease away its Hambantota port to China for 99 years due to debt issues.