Sri Lanka receives Dutch assistance of Rs 14.1 billion for construction of rural bridges, vocational centres

Netherlands on Thursday, agreed to provide Sri Lanka a loan and two grants amounting to Rs 14.1 billion for the construction of 200 rural bridges and establishment of a vocational training institute in Polonnaruwa.

Issuing a statement, the Finance Ministry said that Sri Lanka had inked an agreement with Rabobank, Netherlands last week, for both projects.

Accordingly, 75 percent of the cost of each project would be funded by a loan given by the bank,

The Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE) of the Dutch Government will provide a grant for each of the two projects to cover the remaining expenditure.

Finance Secretary Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunga, and Rabobank Director Han Bartelds signed the agreement in the presence of Dutch Ambassador to Sri Lanka Tanja Gonggrijp.

The project would see the construction of 200 bridges in rural areas as identified by the Ministry of Internal & Home Affairs. A national vocational training institute too would be constructed in Hingurakgoda, Polonnaruwa, under this project.