By Shamindra Ferdinando

CWC General Secretary and Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister Jeevan Thondaman yesterday (23) said that he intended to consult lawmakers representing the hill country regarding Indian grant of Sri Lanka Rs 3 bn exclusively for the Indian origin Tamil community here. The new entrant to parliamentary politics said that their proposals would be submitted to New Delhi through the High Commission here.

Minister Thondaman said so in response to The Island query as to how he intended to proceed in the wake of the grant announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during talks with the Sri Lanka delegation, led by President Wickremesinghe. Minister Thondaman, who had been on Wickremesinghe delegation, said that the Indian grant would be utilized primarily to uplift education and health sectors.

The CWC contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo quoted Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra as having told the media in New Delhi, soon after the conclusion of talks at Hyderabad House, India would implement a development package exclusively centered for the Indian origin Tamil community.

Kwatra said: “This year, as you would all know, marks the 200 years of the arrival of the Indian origin Tamil community in Sri Lanka and to commemorate this significant moment of history the Prime Minister announced that the Government of India will be implementing a development.”

Minister Thondaman said that their focus would be particularly on the education sector. According to him, the Delhi discussions covered the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, energy and economic development, and development of Indian Origin Tamil Community.  “I highlighted that providing infrastructure facilities alone will not empower the up country but providing quality education will provide sustainable transformation.”

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganeshan issued a statement appreciating the grant announced by Premier Modi.