Rs.3.4 Bn Indian Aid reaches Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); High Commissioner Gopal Baglay handed over humanitarian supplies worth around Sri Lanka Rs. 3.4 billion donated by the people of India to Ali Sabry PC, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Health and Water Supplies in Colombo on 26 July 2022. 

Member of Parliament Jeevan Thondaman and Ceylon Worker’s Congress leader Senthil Thondaman attended the event. 

The large humanitarian consignment consisting of 16,594 MT of rice, 200 MT of milk powder, and around 38 MT of medicines were donated by the Government of Tamil Nadu. 

This was the third such consignment from the Government of Tamil Nadu, which has donated a total of 40,000 MT of rice, 500 MT of milk powder, and more than 100 MT of medicines whose total worth is more than USD 22 million. Critical medicines like 25,000 doses of anti-rabies vaccine formed a part of these supplies. 

These supplies are distributed among the beneficiaries by the Government of Sri Lanka and the humanitarian supplies which were handed over on 26 July 2022 are also expected to reach the beneficiaries in different parts of Sri Lanka in the coming days. 

The people of India have been complementing the Government of India’s efforts in standing with the people of Sri Lanka towards addressing their diverse needs. To this end, overwhelming and multi-pronged support of over USD 3.8 billion by the Government of India to the Sri Lankan people during the year was strengthened by independent initiatives of various hospitals, Indian community organizations in Sri Lanka, and several other entities based in India who donated generously for their brethren in Sri Lanka. 

The coming together of the people and Government of India towards the cause underscores the abiding people-to-people connection between India and Sri Lanka and the mutual care and concern for each other.