Sri Lanka and India inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday for community development projects implemented in the island nation to the tune of Rs 600 million.

Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S.R. Attygalle and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay had signed the MoU in the presence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at his official residence in Wijerama.

The MoU was initially signed in 2005, during the presidential term of PM Rajapaksa and it was subsequently extended every five years.

The PM’s Media said the cost of special development projects related to this agreement exceeds Rs 300 million, adding that activities of the emergency hospital care ambulance service, housing projects and the New Jaffna Cultural Center are implemented through this sum.

Another Rs 300 million will be spent on small-scale development projects regarding resettlement, housing, livelihoods, employment, women empowerment, vocational training, education and research, cultural activities, sports, industrial development, medical centres, hospital infrastructure development and medical equipment supply, the PM’s Media said further.

These projects will thereby continue in accordance with the renewed agreement.