Work is set to begin on six priority development projects in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province under an Indian grant assistance programme aimed at strengthening key socio-economic sectors.
The projects fall under a broader framework Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on multi-sectoral assistance signed during the April 2025 State visit of Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka.
According to official sources, the initial phase will focus on initiatives spanning healthcare, agriculture, rural livelihoods and tourism. These include the establishment of batik training centres to support women’s empowerment and small industries, a premature baby unit to improve neonatal care, and new specialised healthcare facilities covering eye, ENT and mental health services.
Additional projects involve setting up contract farmer clusters to boost seed production, developing a sustainable Ayurveda village to promote wellness tourism, and constructing a ward complex at a central Ayurvedic dispensary to expand inpatient treatment capacity.
The six projects are part of a larger package comprising 33 initiatives, backed by Indian grant assistance amounting to Rs. 2.37 billion, targeting the Eastern Province’s development needs.
Agreements related to the first set of projects were signed between Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government S. Alokabandara. The exchange took place in parallel with the recent visit of C. P. Radhakrishnan to Sri Lanka from 19 to 20 April 2026.
The multi-sectoral grant programme builds on a series of Indian-supported development efforts already underway in the Eastern Province. These include housing projects that have delivered or upgraded more than 5,000 homes, the construction of a surgical unit at the Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, financial assistance for students at Eastern University, and the development of the Thirukoneswaram Temple.
Officials say the latest projects are expected to further strengthen regional infrastructure and improve access to essential services while supporting long-term economic growth in the province.