High Commissioner highlights commitment

Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, and Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing, jointly inaugurated and handed over Chandran Nagar Model Village in Mullaitivu to 24 beneficiary families.

The ceremony was attended by Hon. Nagalingam Vethanayagan, Governor of Northern Province, and Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan, Member of Parliament.

The event was also attended by District Secretary, Mullaitivu; Chairman and senior officials from the National Housing Development Authority; senior officials from the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction and Housing of Sri Lanka; Northern Provincial Council and Mullaitivu District Administration.

H.E. Santosh Jha, speaking at the event, emphasised India’s unwavering commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s development, particularly in improving livelihoods and supporting the development of communities in the Northern Province. Minister Hon. Anura Karunathilaka conveyed gratitude on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka for India’s people-centric development cooperation initiatives, particularly in the housing sector.

In October 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Government of India and the Government of Sri Lanka to initiate the Model Village project.

This project aims to provide housing facilities for 600 low-income families in Sri Lanka. Each district will have a model village consisting of 24 houses per family. The Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing of Sri Lanka is implementing the project with grant support from the Government of India.

Earlier this month, Jim Brown Nagar Model Village was inaugurated on May 26, 2025. Model Villages in 13 other districts have already been handed over.

The overall project progress stands at over 97%, and the remaining model villages are expected to be inaugurated and handed over to the beneficiaries soon.